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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28189590">All's Well That Ends Well</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySibilance/pseuds/Baird%20Crevan'>Baird Crevan (LadySibilance)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, Happy Ending, Literally T otherwise, M/M, Post-War, Reluctant Marriage turned to love, Romance, Sexual Interfacing, Slow Burn, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Tragic Romance, Upgraded to E for one scene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:01:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28189590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySibilance/pseuds/Baird%20Crevan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The war is coming to an end but Starscream is being an aft about it.  He threatens to start the war up again, so Megatron arranges to have him conjunxed to an Autobot to undermine his power.  Of course, falling (back) in love with the Autobot would be ridiculous.  Right?  SkyStar, implied MegaOp, ends happily I promise.  COMPLETE</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jetfire | Skyfire/Starscream (Transformers), Skyfire/Starscream (Transformers)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Skystar Secret Santa 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Someone Else's Problem</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For @roundabout /roundaboutthebend who asked for a g1 arranged marriage to end the war.</p><p>Happy Holidays and happy SkyStar Exchange.  Roundabout, you are my INTENDED!  &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3 It’s been a pleasure getting to know you… and stalking you… with the best intentions! Lmfao I hope you enjoy.  I don't know if you are on Ao3, but if you are leave a comment and I will gift it to you.</p><p>Not my usual bag! Lol I was given an interesting prompt and though I only needed to do 1k words… this just ballooned because I really wanted to explore the concept.  It will be cute, romantic, tragic, and ends well.  Posting multiple chapters a day, so I hope you enjoy!</p><p>Rated E for one scene that you can skip if you want, and chapter will be clearly marked.  Pretty much T otherwise.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Optimus had been sure that they were going to be at this war for a very, very long time, or at the very least it would be the Autobots who were going to propose peace first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So the call from Megatron was a surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to mince words,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “Raiding for energon is not sustainable.  We don’t have the medical resources to maintain an army of our size, especially since we keep adding members to our forces.  We would like to propose a peace-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then the call dropped.  Optimus stared at the screen for a moment, not sure he had heard correctly, and resetting his optics.  The call had just… cut out?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call them… back?” Optimus said to Red Alert, who was nodding and scrunching his face in concentration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It appears they have no communications array whatsoever.  SkySpy has detected an explosion in the vicinity of the Decepticon base.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Optimus knit his brows in confusion.  “I suppose we will wait then.  Keep an optic out for any Decepticon activity in case this is a trap.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Over the next month, there were some strange movements from the Decepticons.  A group of them would arrive at a location to raid for energon or materials, and then before the Autobots could arrive, Megatron called a retreat.  They left behind whatever the original party had tried to steal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They started to understand that Megatron was not calling the shots on these quick raids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Megatron again attempted to call at least two more times, but there was always some kind of technical difficulty that prevented the call from completing.  Jazz had gathered some intel that Decepticon High Command was suffering from more infighting than usual but couldn’t really elaborate.  He also noted that mechs were </span>
  <em>
    <span>severely</span>
  </em>
  <span> under-fueled and suffering from a bout of viruses that had put most of their ranks in the med bay at some point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz said he’d feel bad for them but… they were ‘Cons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, a call came through uninterrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“TRUCE,” Megatron said.  “Meet here for a truce,” he said quickly, providing more details in a data stream.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Three months later, they had finally arrived at the final meeting.  Or so Optimus had hoped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And with these signatures, the war will be over,” Optimus said with gravity.  They had been at these negotiations for hours, and now the end of the fighting was finally within their grasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But yet again, Megatron was stalling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked uncomfortable.  His stubborn adherence to his cause probably was still holding him back, though Optimus and the Autobots had made plenty of concessions that would ensure that the Decepticons had a chance at normal lives if they wanted one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have one more request,” he asked, reluctantly.  The usually unflappable Prowl rolled his optics and was about to protest, but Megatron cut him off with a placating servo in the air.  “It is essential to the endurance of this armistice and peace agreement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Optimus leaned back in his chair, looking across the table at his former enemy.  “I’m supposing it has to do with Soundwave’s presence here instead of Starscream, despite the request for your second-in-command.”  Soundwave coolly lifted his helm and stared at the Prime without comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Megatron scowled slightly.  “Unfortunately, Starscream will not accept that this is how it all ends.  He stymied this conversation at every turn, and attempted to sabotage us by inciting riots, destroying our communications array, and planning false raids to keep everyone distracted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>what happened,” Optimus said, some mysteries now solved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s also making overtures to try and start his own Decepticon faction and ignore the peace agreement,” Megatron sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “He might be hoarding weapons as several caches have gone missing, and we can’t account for all of his more dangerous science experiments. He’s been in the brig for three months now, but that will not stop him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will it matter?  I thought the Decepticons were mostly on board with the armistice and peace treaty.  Especially because of your energon shortage and lack of medical care,” Prowl asked, suspicious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Megatron nodded.  “Most understand the necessity of this agreement.  That does not mean they can’t be swayed by the silver-glossa of my second.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Optimus understood Megatron’s dilemma.  He too had some malcontents in the Autobot forces that believed that they were giving too much away to the Decepticons and that their old enemies should be surrendering and not mutually agreeing to lay down arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you proposing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another rare beat of reluctance from Megatron gave Optimus pause.  “Ah.  Well.  Starscream earned his rank through combat, as is the tradition in the Decepticon forces.  I would just strip him of his title so that he did not have any claim, but his record would speak for itself.  So, I have to find another way to… undermine his authority.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soundwave shifted in his seat next to Megatron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I propose an arranged bonding between Starscream and an Autobot of your choosing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prowl’s servos had slammed down on the table as he stood in indignation.  “</span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he said, his icy demeanor finally breaking.  Soundwave bowed his helm a little as if he were embarrassed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Optimus was still, watching the Megatron’s optics.  “You’re serious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deathly, I’m afraid.  Starscream can’t be the new leader of the Decepticons with an Autobot bonded conjunx.  It weakens his position with anyone who would want to try to start the war up again and, perhaps, it is a symbol that we are serious about this armistice working.  Unity of the factions and all that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Optimus didn’t like this answer and sighed.  “I believe he should have the freedom of choice in this.  I don’t want the first act of our peace to be someone being forced into a bonding against his will.  Political bondings like this are a thing of the past we are trying to leave behind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Megatron frowned.  “I knew you would feel that way.  But what if it is not the first act of peace, but the last act of a hostile war?  He is still my subordinate, and it is within my right as his Supreme Leader to command this political arrangement.  Decepticons don’t share the same sentiments as you do,” Megatron said.  “I don’t see any other way to take him out of the equation, other than his termination.  That is always an option,” he said lightly with a shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> an option,” Optimus said irritably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I look forward to knowing who you choose.  I will need this bonding taken care of before I sign the peace treaty.”  Megatron rose and Soundwave did as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Optimus sighed.  He stood as well, mirrored by Prowl.  He affixed his steely blue gaze on Megatron.  “</span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> is the point you will not cede?  Not the new Cybertronian government organization, not the unbranding of the Decepticon insignia, not the mandatory psych evaluations of your forces.  No, you just want Starscream married off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Megatron smirked.  “I’d like to think I’m a romantic at spark,” he said tiredly.  “But I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> want him to be someone else’s problem.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You Had That Thing With The Ice?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“… Are you sure you want to do this?” Optimus said quietly.  “I know you two used to be friends, so I do feel more comfortable that you know what you are in for.”</p><p>Skyfire smiled softly.  “As you said, I know what I am in for.  But when I heard your announcement and heard… how some were treating it, I knew I needed the answer to your problem to be me.”</p><p>Optimus frowned.  “Was someone suggesting something untoward?”</p><p>Skyfire’s optics looked amused.  “Optimus, you can’t say that Starscream is difficult and think that no one would see that as a challenge.  What they said was the same flavor of what they’ve been saying for as long as war has been going on, or even before the war.  Mechs have always tried to control him.  Besides, it’s like you said.  He and I have a history.  I hope that it will be easier for him this way.  It will… ultimately be for the best this way.”</p><p>Optimus narrowed his optics at Skyfire’s tone.  “Skyfire.  Is… there something you aren’t telling me?”</p><p>Skyfire looked up and Optimus was almost struck dumb.  Skyfire’s usually calm and collected optics were full of turmoil and… sadness. </p><p>Optimus continued.  “And does it have anything to do with Ratchet requesting an emergency meeting with me when he saw you enter my office?”</p><p>Skyfire’s face fell and he looked worried.  “I know I’m not the best political choice for this bonding,” he said quickly.  “I have not been an Autobot for as long as some others, but I do think I’m the best option.”</p><p>Skyfire flinched when there was a flurry of pings and knocks at the door.  Optimus moved his optics to the door in surprise.</p><p>“I need you to promise it will be me,” Skyfire said pleadingly.  “Please, sir.”</p><p>Optimus’s spark ached for Skyfire but knew that there was some piece of information he was missing.  Still, he sometimes heard the whisper of the matrix spurn him to action.  Oddly, this was one of those times.</p><p>“I promise,” he replied, just as Ratchet burst through the door.</p><hr/><p>“Skyfire,” Starscream said dumbly.  Megatron had not even had the decency to come and break the news himself.  Instead, he had sent his trine.</p><p>“He’s not the worst Autobot,” Skywarp said, as if that made it better.  “Plus, you and he had that… thing with the ice.  Some might call that romantic.”</p><p>Starscream’s processor stalled with anger.  “That ‘<em>thing </em> with the <em> ice</em>,’” he whisper-shouted through clenched denta.</p><p>“Prime had apparently given his group the choice.  Skyfire was willing and chosen as the best option,” Thundercracker cut in.</p><p>“The best option? There were other options?” Starscream asked, frowning in disgust.  “I mean.  Of course there were.” He sat himself down heavily on the bench of the brig.</p><p>“At least he’s a flier?” Skywarp offered.</p><p>Starscream glared hatefully from behind the electric bars.</p><p>“You did this to yourself.” Thundercracker lacked his usual restraint.  “Everyone, and I mean <em> everyone</em>, has agreed to end this war, except you.  You were hoarding weapons, Star?  You sent us out on raids even though they weren’t approved and we didn’t have the energy for them?  You are threatening everything with your little temper tantrum.”</p><p>Starscream scoffed.  “And you can just so easily forget everything that happened during this war, and why we started down these paths in the first place?!” he spat back.  “And how <em> noble </em> that I am being forced into a bonding against my will- how great peacetime will be!  Problem mech? Just sell him into berthwarmer <em> slavery</em>.”  Neither of his trinemates had the decency to look chagrined, as they were far too used to his exaggerated complaints.</p><p>“Aren’t you the <em> least </em> bit happy that it’s <em> him</em>?  You two were… together before everything, right?” Skywarp asked, attempted to soothe.  “Primus, Star, he <em> knows </em> you-“</p><p>“He <em> knew </em> me, Skywarp.  He doesn’t know a thing about me now.”</p><p>Thundercracker folded his arms across his chassis.  “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to introduce yourself again, won’t you?”</p><p>Starscream stood and advanced right up to the bars.  “This is just Megatron’s idea of a last laugh against me.  Skyfire isn’t even a political match; he has absolutely no standing in the Autobot army.  This whole thing is a sham.  I’m not conjunxing Skyfire.”</p><p>Both Skywarp and Thundercracker looked at him with pity mixed with a withering decline in their patience.  “We were just sent here to tell you how it is,” Skywarp said.</p><p>“And tell you we’ll be giving you away at the ceremony,” Thundercracker said quietly.  It seemed some of his frustration was finally starting to abate. </p><p>Starscream’s venting had increased slightly as he gave his trine an incredulous look.  “This isn’t happening,” he whispered.  “Please, you have to get me out of here,” he asked, looking to Skywarp with pleading in his optics.</p><p>Skywarp was biting the inside of his cheek.  “I already did that once, and you threw me under the bus for it.  Thundercracker is right.  I want the war over and you can’t ruin it.”</p><p>Starscream closed his optics and fell to his knees, completely despondent.  Thundercracker made a “tsk” noise and left.  Skywarp lingered for a few moments longer and reached through the bars carefully to give his trinemate a squeeze on the shoulder. </p><p>“In a way, this is helping end the war for good, Star.  If you can’t stop yourself, then maybe Skyfire can help you stop.  I know you don’t have a choice, but you can try to make the best of it.”</p><p>Skywarp left quietly.</p><p>Starscream slowly stood and walked to the bench, sitting and composing himself.  After a few kliks, five new mechs entered the brig and regarded Starscream warily.</p><p>“We have a proposition for you…” they said.</p><hr/><p>Skyfire hadn’t realized so many mechs <em> cared</em>.</p><p>As soon as the announcement had been made, many mechs had come to give him condolences.  </p><p>“It’s a brave thing you’re doing,” Ironhide had said.  “I mean there are worse ‘Cons… maybe.  But if he’s going to be an aft about the war, there ain’t a better mech to put him in his place.”</p><p>“I mean he’s just such a <em> glitch </em>.  How do you even start to bond with someone like him?” Sunstreaker offered.  “Aren't you afraid he’s going to corrupt you?”</p><p>“And his voice!  Primus!  You will need to learn to dull your audials,” Sideswipe added.</p><p>Skyfire frowned.  “You didn’t seem so disgusted by him when you were considering offering yourselves as his conjunx.”</p><p>Sunstreaker shrugged.  “Yeah but you are so <em> nice</em>.  I probably wouldn’t be as… kind as you are.”</p><p>Skyfire narrowed his optics, suddenly a little more sure in his decision.  “Well, I’m happy to take one… for the team,” he said knowing they wouldn’t hear his sarcasm.</p><p>Ironhide pat him on the back.  "Like I said, no better mech."</p><p>"Let us know if you ever need any help,” Sideswipe said.  “We’re here for you, buddy.”</p><p>Skyfire wasn’t sure he had shared so many words with these three… ever.  But he understood that Starscream somehow brought that out in people.  Everyone had such a loud opinion about him, and usually judged him only by his worst traits.</p><p>Skyfire nodded and walked away, his smile strained.  It was true that Starscream was not easy to get along with.  But Skyfire still cared about him in the deepest ways, even though they had been apart for so very, very long.  </p><p>He had been bewildered waking up and seeing how much the world around him had changed.  Starscream might be a little quicker to anger and a little more prone to self-destructive behavior, but he was still very much the mech Skyfire had fallen in love with.  Starscream had made it clear though that they were done.  </p><p>Skyfire didn’t intend to push.  He just wanted to help out his friend and former lover as best he could.  And if it meant that he had to suffer through Autobots saying foolish things, then he would do it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Why Am I Alone?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The ceremony was a quiet affair.  Prowl and Soundwave accompanied Optimus and Megatron respectively as witnesses. Perceptor and Wheeljack accompanied Skyfire, and Skywarp and Thundercracker had the unenviable task of trying to get Starscream to behave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream had been deprived of his null-rays and other battle equipment, but in their place he had been given a red cape and a small circlet of gold on his helm.  Skyfire had been given a royal blue cape and a similar golden circlet of his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two trinemates had opted to just bodily pick up Starscream by his upper arms and carry him to the front of the small gathering.  They deposited him as gently as they could, stepping back before getting swiped again by the bristling Starscream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now alone at the front of the room with all of the parties in attendance, they were joined by Sunstorm who was smiling radiantly.  Literally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have </span>
  <em>
    <span>got</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be fragging kidding me,” Starscream ground out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At least it will be blessed by Primus,” Skyfire said with a hint of amusement in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream seemed to notice his betrothed for the first time now and affixed him with a murderous glare.  “I fragging </span>
  <em>
    <span>hate</span>
  </em>
  <span> you,” he said acridly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you look stunning.  As always.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream pulled back as if Skyfire had grown a second helm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sunstorm cleared his vocalizer, indicating they were ready to begin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Greetings to those who have gathered here to witness the union between these two sparks of Primus, Starscream of Vos and Skyfire of Altihex.  We are blessed to see these two become conjunxed in the optics of the Prime and Lord Megatron.  A truly auspicious guest list.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream rolled his optics.  Skyfire had a wry smile on his faceplate at Starscream’s antics.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <span>“‘Ages ago, before time and had measure, there was a single being. It had no use for identity or name- it lived, and this was enough for a while. But as it explored the galaxy and began to find other living beings, the bliss of discovery gave way to disturbing thoughts that had no answers: if they are this, then they are many, what am I, and why am I alone?’”</span>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream stilled as he recognized this particular passage from the Covenant of Primus.  He did not consider himself a religious mech, but these words had been a small comfort to him on his travels back to Cybertron after losing Skyfire in the ice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The being that would become Primus had been alone too, exploring the universe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Primus saw fit to make himself a companion.  To our knowledge, this was the first time a spark was cleaved in two; two separate entities now diverged.  For some time this was seen as good.  But ultimately, our sparks call to one-another to be rejoined in unity. We seek each other’s sparks to light the darkness of space so that we are not alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Here, Sunstorm paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.  Starscream did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> feel the meaning resonate in his spark.  Not at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take each other’s servos.”  Skyfire held his servos out and Starscream sighed dramatically as he placed his on top.  Sunstorm stepped closer to them a moment, and they noticed he was wearing lead-lined armor gloves.  He was also holding a length of ornately braided golden wire.  “We wrap this gilded wire around your servos in recognition of two lives becoming one, bound for eternity across time and space.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream stole a quick glance at Skyfire who was watching him carefully.  He sighed and tried to still his heating faceplates.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thusly bound before witnesses, let them endeavor to grow together in the Spark of Primus.  'Til all are one," he said.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A murmuring echo from the other mechs in the room brought the ceremony to an end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I now present Starscream and Skyfire, conjunx endura.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gathered mechs clapped their servos lightly.  Sunstorm removed his glove and gently waved his servo over the wire and it melted off of them to the ground.  “Ow, </span>
  <em>
    <span>hot</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Sunstorm!” Starscream chided, though a touch subdued. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Apologies, Starscream,” Sunstorm said with a genuine smile.  “I’m so happy for you.  Happy for you both.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream was unnerved at the genuine smile, but it was Skyfire who asked the question.  “Why is that, Sunstorm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The yellow seeker smiled broadly.  “There are not many rights more sacred to Primus than joining his children together in this fashion.  Would that we all could be joined in this way,” he said with fondness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream snorted but said nothing else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ceremony complete, the newly joined conjunxes were escorted to a building nearby that would be their living arrangements for the next decacycle.  Given that this was a state-sponsored bonding, there had been no expense spared for their temporary quarters. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The party rode an elevator up to enter the “honeymoon suite,” as the Autobots were calling it.  Wheeljack had flashed his finials with a wink.  Skyfire had laughed good-naturedly.  Starscream looked like he was going to purge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sumptuous jewel tone reds and blues greeted them in the curtains that hung from the walls.  There were some gifts in the corner on a table, and some high grade with some fancy fluted glasses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beyond the main room, the edge of a berth could be seen, and beyond that a large, state-of-the-art washrack.  That was the first thing that Starscream saw that made him think this might not be the worst day of his life after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Starscream looked around with wide optics, Megatron eventually thrust a glass of high-grade in his servo which he took with a glare.  Megatron grinned.  “You do make a fetching bridegroom,” he said, patting Starscream’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream wanted to snarl, but Megatron just looked amused.  “I realize you might hate me more than usual today,” Megatron said.  “But this was partly for your benefit, believe it or not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Really</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Starscream ground out between clenched denta.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Megatron arched an optic-ridge.  “You have made quite a few enemies even within our own faction, Starscream.  You were needed for the war effort, but now that it’s over, things are… in flux.  Now your newly-forged nuptials will protect you from most attempts on your life as they wouldn’t want to risk the Autobot’s ire.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream opened his mouth to retort but found he didn’t have a good answer.  He knew Megatron was right.  “So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> care about me then,” he said bitterly, lifting his drink to his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t go that far.” Megatron smirked.  “But maybe we can find a way to not kill each other in this new world we are building,” he replied as he walked back towards the Prime.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream noticed that Skyfire was talking and laughing lightly with Wheeljack, Perceptor, and the Prime.  He seemed so relaxed and… happy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You alright, ‘Screamer?” Skywarp asked with amusement, walking up with Thundercracker.  “You actually look like you might not want to kill him for once.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream tore his gaze from Skyfire and looked into his energon with a frown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thundercracker brushed his shoulder up against the frowning seeker.  “Starscream, have we lost you?” he said, with a small laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the laugh was cut short when Starscream looked up at him with miserable optics.  “How… how could this have already happened?” he whispered.  “It’s over.  All of it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re being way too…” Skywarp waved his servo in a circle, searching for the right words. “...okay, </span>
  <em>
    <span>characteristically</span>
  </em>
  <span> dramatic, but your life is not over, Starscream,” Skywarp said, putting a servo on his arm.  “He’s a good mech, and he’s besotted with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Starscream grimaced.  “It’s not… </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>per se.  The one thing I ever wanted was to rule the Decepticons.  Now, not only are there no more Decepticons, but I am also categorically disqualified to lead them by association,” he said.  “I’m glad… </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s happy with the arrangement,” he said bitterly, drinking half of his high-grade in one gulp.  That was a bit of a mistake as it was actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> quality high-grade.  He instantly felt the buzz of overcharge wrap around his sensors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s for the best, Starscream.” Thundercracker gave him a soft smile.  “I’m sorry you didn’t get your desired seat at the head of the table.  I’m just glad we all lived to see the end of the war.”  He clinked his glass lightly against Starscream and Skywarp’s glasses and took a deep sip of the iridescent pink energon.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Pulling a Fast One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eventually, the visitors began to leave.  Prime and Megatron both gave blessedly (and uncharacteristically) short speeches, and at their conclusion the two newly-weds were left alone for the first time since the two had had their falling out in the frigid north.</p><p>“Hey,” Skyfire said sheepishly with a half-hearted wave from across the room.</p><p>Starscream gave him an exhausted look.  Skyfire wondered when the last time Starscream had fully recharged.  He had heard that they had kept him in the brig since he had tried to sabotage negotiations between Optimus and Megatron about three Earth months previous.</p><p>Starscream huffed and went over to the decanter of high-grade and poured himself another glass.  “Why.  Why did you agree to this?” he said, his vocalizer thick.</p><p>Skyfire walked over to him slowly, like he was afraid of scaring off a wild organic.  He also reached for the decanter of energon, and slowly poured himself a little more as well. </p><p>“Are you upset it’s me?”</p><p>“You aren’t answering the question,” Starscream replied between clenched denta.</p><p>Skyfire sighed.  “I suppose when I thought about anyone else being your conjunx, I was worried about your happiness.  I know that you didn’t go into this willingly, and I will respect your wishes and desires in how you want this relationship to play out,” he said quietly.  “If you would prefer us to remain platonic, I can accept that.”</p><p>“You did this out of pity?” Starscream said, perhaps not as bitterly as expected.</p><p>Skyfire paused for a moment, watching Starscream carefully.  “I am, and always have been, attracted to you, Starscream.  So no, it was not merely out of pity.”</p><p>Starscream froze at the bluntness of the words.  He searched Skyfire’s optics as if looking for the punchline to the cruel joke.  It never came.  He looked away as a creeping blush appeared across his faceplate.</p><p>“Well, just come out and say it,” he muttered, nursing another long sip of high-grade.  Skyfire could see that he was flustered and smiled softly.</p><p>“Do you need help taking that off?” he asked.</p><p>Starscream’s optics snapped to him again, and then relaxed seeing that Skyfire was talking about his cape and not his...  Well.  Skyfire knew that Starscream likely would want to use the washracks as soon as possible given how he was eyeing them.  He was surprised though that Starscream nodded, carefully removing his own circlet and turning around so that Skyfire could find the tiny metal clasp that kept the cape on him.</p><p>Skyfire was astonished at how things had changed between them.  Back when they were exploring, they would be joking around, laughing and teasing each other right about now.  Maybe chatting about something they’d found on an adventure.  Or perhaps arguing some kind of stupid philosophical point that really was just an excuse to talk more.</p><p>Maybe even some other, more... intimate conversations as well.</p><p>Now things were awkward.  Skyfire was fine to enjoy the stillness, but he could tell that Starscream was incredibly nervous.</p><p>“You know,” Skyfire said.  “It’s still me.  I know the context is weird-“</p><p>“<em>Gross </em> understatement.”</p><p>“-but I’m still the same shuttle who managed to break every crucible we ever had and make you laugh while doing it,” he said, kindly.  He had unclasped the cape finally, and it fell away from Starscream’s shoulders softly.</p><p>Starscream turned and gave him a blank look as he gently took the cape back from Skyfire but avoided touching him.  “I suppose you haven’t changed, then,” he said flatly. </p><p>Skyfire’s spark sank deep in his chest.  The thing with Starscream was that if it sounded like an insult, it probably was.</p><p>Starscream turned and walked towards the washracks without a second glance.</p><hr/><p>Starscream stood under the warm solvent for a lot longer than was necessary.  He dreaded leaving his little sanctuary and having to take the next step of this awful night.</p><p>He wasn’t being completely fair.  Skyfire was absolutely not the worst mech this could have been on the other side of the altar this afternoon.  What everyone had said was true; they had a history, he was a good mech, and he had the incredible patience to put up with Starscream’s personality deficits.  He was a flightframe, which made them have things in common.  Yes, science-</p><p>Okay.  There was likely <em> not </em> another mech that could even begin to be as good of a match for him as Skyfire.  But that’s partly what made this even more of a tragedy.  Starscream didn’t get to have the relationship with him that he had wanted; instead it was now all complicated by a quick conjunxing and forced bonding.</p><p>He paused a little as he realized he had just admitted that he <em> did </em> want a relationship with Skyfire.</p><p>He frowned as the solvent began to cool, clearly having emptied the warm tanks.  He reached over and turned off the faucets.  Eventually he opened the door and found a microfiber cloth to dry off with.</p><p>Skyfire was reading a datapad on the berth and the scene made Starscream’s spark ache a little in its domesticity.  He had never thought he would find anyone to have something like this.</p><p>Was that the same as not wanting it?</p><p>He walked past the berth, going to the front door to the suite and checking all of the locks.  He could feel Skyfire watching him with amusement, but Starscream hadn’t lived this long by being embarrassed by his neuroticisms.  Satisfied that the door was locked, he pulled over a chair and wedged it under the doorknob for good measure.</p><p>He heard Skyfire snickering from the berth.</p><p>“Oh stop; assassinations on the newly-conjunxed are practically commonplace,” he spat.</p><p>Skyfire covered his mouth.  “In what millennia, Starscream?”</p><p>Starscream flipped him a rude gesture which only made Skyfire laugh harder.  Starscream was a little upset though.  Precious Autobot likely never had to worry about locking his door at night.</p><p>Eventually Starscream couldn’t fidget or pace around the room anymore.  Skyfire watched him with kind amusement in his optics and waited patiently.  Starscream stopped and hovered by the opposite end of the berth, tapping his pede with his arms folded across his chassis.</p><p>“Starscream-“</p><p>“Just. Stop.  I just… need a klik,” Starscream said quietly.  Skyfire was being far too patient with him. </p><p>Finally, Starscream crawled into the berth and lay down staring at the ceiling like it was going to collapse on him at any moment.</p><p>“<em>Starscream</em>,” Skyfire said again, chiding this time.  Starscream heard his fans kick on high as his anxiety increased every moment.  Skyfire likely expected some kind of foreplay or something, but Starscream could not bring himself to initiate.  He tried to keep the rising lump out of his throat.</p><p>Skyfire was moving closer to him now, he could feel the shift in the berth.  He was saying something quietly, but Starscream couldn’t hear him over the rushing noise in his audios.</p><p>This was not entirely beyond their experience.  They had been together before this, so why now was his energon running quick in his lines and he felt his battle computer struggling to come online with a perceived threat?</p><p>Starscream had fluid welling up in his optics as he allowed his spark chamber to open.  Skyfire yelped in surprise and sat up, seeing his conjunx’s spark exposed.</p><p>“What are you <em> doing?!” </em></p><p>“This is what you want isn’t it?  Is this not the <em> point </em> of the arrangement that was made?  This belongs to you now,” he spat, optics blazing.</p><p>“<em>Starscream, </em> you don’t have to do this-“</p><p>Starscream grimaced.  “It was made <em> very </em> clear to me what my responsibilities are, so let’s just get it over with,” his vocalizer thick with disgust.</p><p>“Starscream. <em> Stop</em>,” Skyfire said, pained.  “It’s alright.  We will… establish the bond eventually, but it doesn’t have to be tonight.”</p><p>Starscream’s optics met Skyfire’s blue ones with his mouth agape.  Skyfire had reached over and was gently easing Starscream’s spark panel closed.  Starscream allowed it to click back into place.  “But…  they’re going to check it in the morning,” Starscream said quietly.  “They aren’t going to let me out of this.  Us.  Us out of this.  We have to do this,” he said sadly.</p><p>Skyfire smiled gently.  “Ratchet will cover for us,” he said. </p><p>Starscream looked doubtful.  “Why in the Pit would he do that?”</p><p>Skyfire gave a coy grin.  “I convinced him.  Let us bond on our own time,” he said looking away.  “You look like you need more high-grade,” he added, getting off the berth.</p><p>Starscream was dumbfounded.  He had never even considered that this was a possibility, and it was Skyfire who had come up with it.  Legally, they were conjunxed, and while the establishment of the sparkbond was essential to make it official, not everyone was going to get a look at his spark.  And while the whole fragging army wanted him actually bonded, having the medic lie and say they were was perfect.  “Wish you had said something earlier,” Starscream said irritably, folding his arms across his chest.  He felt a twinge of embarrassment.</p><p>“There wasn’t really a good time to mention it,” Skyfire called over his shoulder, grabbing another glass from the table.  “‘By the way, <em> Starscream</em>!  Don’t worry about all that stuff Prime and Megatron agreed to; I plan on pulling a fast one on everyone so that we can do this properly.’”</p><p>For the first time in a long three months, Starscream cracked a smile.  “Maybe you and I are better suited to be conjunxed than I had originally thought.”</p><p>“So not a complete and utter ruination of your life?” He arched an optic-ridge with a dumb grin.  He walked back over and handed the fluted glass to Starscream, who accepted it graciously. </p><p>“Not… yet,” Starscream replied, sipping the glass.  He honestly felt like an entire weight had been taken off his shoulders.  Starscream knew the high-grade had finally begun to permeate his processor, and the delightful buzz of overcharge made him relax even more.  He stole a glance at Skyfire and saw that he had settled in the berth next to him, looking up at the ceiling, lost in thought.   </p><p>“I’m sorry this has ruined your plans,” Skyfire said after a few moments, then turned to meet Starscream’s optics.</p><p>Starscream’s venting stalled.  He noticed the sincerity in Skyfire’s face, the gentle curve of his lips, the definition of his jaw.  No one had ever really apologized for messing up his plans before.  But, amazingly, laying in the berth with his new conjunx who was showing him more consideration than he deserved, the pain of his dreams destroyed lessened a little bit.</p><p>Starscream nodded in receipt of the sentiment, not really sure what else to say. He tried to stifle a yawn into the back of his servo.</p><p>Skyfire watched Starscream try and fight recharge but lose spectacularly.  He reached over and plucked the fluted glass from Starscream’s relaxing servos as the seeker slumped more and more into the berth.  His optics were offline and he was asleep within kliks.</p><p>Skyfire observed his new conjunx gently venting in his sleep, more relaxed than he had ever seemed since Skyfire had woken from the ice.  Skyfire wanted to reach over and touch him, but he was committed to doing this the right way.  He could wait.</p><p>He put the fluted glasses down, and turned off the lights, massaging his chest lightly at the dull ache he felt there.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for the comments and kudos so far &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. It's Getting Worse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Starscream woke slowly.  Some light streamed in from the windows around the curtains, bathing the room in soft light.  He sat himself up, noticing he was alone.</p><p>Years of living among Decepticons made him instantly awake, searching for danger.  His optics flicked around the room, but he couldn’t find the other inhabitant he was expecting.</p><p>He slowly got up and out of the berth, making sure his pede-falls were silent as he walked.  He got to the door and peered around, seeing Skyfire seated in a chair, reading a datapad.</p><p>Again.  So fragging domestic.</p><p>He strode into the room with a haughty gait, sitting down in the chair opposite Skyfire.</p><p>“Good morning,” Skyfire said with mirth reaching his optics.  Why did he always seem so happy to see him?  “Did you sleep well?”</p><p>Starscream had been determined to affix Skyfire with a haughty smirk but felt himself relax instead.  Skyfire had disarmed him from the very moment they met at the altar.  “Yes,” he replied, his more biting comments lost.  “Very well, actually.”</p><p>Skyfire seemed oddly pleased by this admission.  “You looked like you needed it,” he said lightly.  His smile then dropped, and he put the datapad down.  “Rachet will be here in a few kliks.  He informed me of a… wrinkle.  It appears that since the war is not officially over yet, they will also need confirmation from a Decepticon medic that the bond has taken as well.”</p><p>Starscream groaned.  “Hook?”  His wings twitched slightly behind him. </p><p>“Yes.  But Ratchet says he has a plan.”</p><p>Starscream looked incredulous and was about to tell Skyfire what he thought of that statement when a knock came at the door, and Skyfire got up to go answer it.  He moved the chair out of the way, giving Starscream another amused look.  Starscream rolled his optics in a huff.</p><p>He opened the door and Ratchet came in.  “Good morning, conjunxes,” he said in a brusque manner.  “Hope your evening went well,” he said, giving Skyfire a once-over and then glancing at Starscream he saw poised in the chair.</p><p>“Well enough, Ratchet,” Skyfire replied with a tight lip.</p><p>Ratchet met his optics and nodded.  “Well then.  You over there with the scowl.  How often has Hook seen your spark?”</p><p>Starscream’s scowl deepened.  “More often than I’d have liked,” he replied.</p><p>“And how often has he seen a sparkbond?”</p><p>This question gave Starscream pause.  “I’m… not sure he’s ever seen one.  None of the Decepticons are bonded,” Starscream answered thoughtfully.</p><p>“That’s what we’re going to bank on,” Ratchet said, pulling out a small device from subspace.  “My understanding is that Hook is more of a repair bot than an actually trained medic.”</p><p>Starscream sighed.  “That’s… extremely accurate,” he admitted.</p><p>“Alright, then, we’ll start with you,” Ratchet said, advancing on Starscream without much preamble.  “Open up.”</p><p>Starscream sneered. “What the frag are you going to do?”</p><p>“End the fragging war by making a convincing-looking fake sparkbond.  Open. <em>Up.”</em></p><p>Starscream growled but complied, allowing his spark-chamber to open in his chest.  The Autobot medic paused for a moment and glanced at Starscream’s optics.  </p><p>“Interesting… spark you have there,” he said quietly.  He then carefully stuck the device in his servo into Starscream’s chest. </p><p>Starscream hissed from the pressure and he yelped as he felt a shock in his chest.  “What the frag are you doing?!”</p><p>“Quit your whining.  It will sting for a little bit, but it will only last for three hours.” He pulled away, nodding.  “Good enough,” he said.  A small arc of energy was orbiting around Starscream’s spark in a somewhat convincing sparkbond trajectory.  While it would not fool a medic who had seen plenty of sparkbonds over his years, it <em>looked</em> like what was described in the open source medical textbooks that Hook was likely to reference.</p><p>He turned and went to Skyfire.  “Your turn,” he said.  Skyfire sat down in a chair with his back to Starscream, and Starscream heard the <em>snick</em> of his spark chamber opening.  He saw Ratchet give Skyfire an odd, long-suffering look and then gave Skyfire the same treatment to his spark.  Skyfire made a sharp intake of breath behind his denta, tensed, but said nothing.</p><p>Starscream stood and walked over to their energon dispenser.  Skyfire watched him carefully and allowed his spark chamber to close.</p><p>“Stop looking at him like that,” Ratchet whispered.  “You’re going to make <em>me</em> blush,” Ratchet muttered, trying to contain a smirk.</p><p>Skyfire’s lips tugged into a smile.  “Do you think this will work?” </p><p>“I’m relying on the stupidity of the Decepticons and Starscream’s ability to lie.  So yeah, I think we have the best chance possible.”</p><p>There was a knock at the door.  Skyfire called, “Come in.”  A glance at Starscream saw that he had affected his mask of arrogance and was leaning against a wall, waiting.</p><p>Hook was escorted by Prowl and Soundwave who both looked like they would rather be anywhere else.  Ratchet gave them the out they were looking for.  “Ah- absolutely not.  This is a medical exam, the two of you can wait outside.”</p><p>Prowl looked like he was going to attempt to resist but Rachet was already pushing him out the door.  Soundwave didn’t need any such encouragement and had already done an about-face.</p><p>Hook watched with amusement and then turned his gaze to Starscream.  “How the mighty have fallen,” he said with a leering smile.  Starscream stuck his nose in the air with a sneer.  “Hope your evening was everything you hoped, Starscream,” he continued.  “We certainly were hoping a good frag would tame you.”</p><p>Starscream allowed a blush to color his faceplate and broke from the gaze.  He hoped it came off as slightly embarrassed, not barely contained anger.</p><p>“Hook,” came a deep voice from behind him.  The Constructicon turned and almost startled at the looming, tall figure of Skyfire right behind him.  “Please don’t talk to my conjunx that way,” he said dangerously.</p><p>Starscream was reluctantly impressed when Hook’s smirk fell and he looked penitent.</p><p>Ratchet snorted.  “Well then, let’s get this over with,” he said.  “Starscream first?”</p><p>Starscream frowned and took a seat. </p><p>“Let’s see the goods, then,” Hook said, folding his arms across his chassis.  Starscream glared but allowed his spark chamber to open, watching Hook’s visored optics carefully as he leaned in to observe.</p><p>There was a slight frown on Hook’s white face when he saw his spark.  He was about to say something, but Ratchet spoke first.</p><p>“Hmm.  Looks a little weak, don’t you think?” the Autobot medic said, throwing a glance to the Constructicon.</p><p>Hook opened his mouth to reply, but this time Starscream cut him off.</p><p>“Well I’m sorry.  It wasn’t exactly a <em>desired</em> sparkbond, now was it?”</p><p>Ratchet nodded.  “Ah.  True.  It’s been a while since I’ve seen a bond that was a political arrangement.  That would explain it.”</p><p>Hook pulled back and considered this.  “It’s weak, but it’s clearly there,” he said slowly.  He glanced down at Starscream through his visor.  “I… can’t believe you actually went through with it,” he said with a dumb smile.</p><p>“I wasn’t exactly given a choice, dear <em>Hook</em>,” Starscream said, allowing his spark chamber to close again.</p><p>“I know, I just… You usually find a way out of these things,” Hook said, his smile more gleeful now.  “And now you can’t cause slag.  The war is over.  It’s… honestly over.”</p><p>Starscream bit back a retort.  He felt oddly chastised when he saw the sheer joy on Hook’s faceplate.</p><p>Ratchet turned his optics to Skyfire.  “Alright, let’s get Skyfire too-“</p><p>“Ah no, honestly, I’m good,” Hook said.</p><p>Ratchet looked surprised.  “Are you sure? You don’t want to confirm?”</p><p>Hook took another look at Skyfire and shook his head.  “Honestly, even if it <em>is</em> a one-way, as long as Starscream is bonded to an Autobot, everyone will be happy.  Starscream did not have a sparkbond yesterday, and he’s only been around Skyfire since then.  I’m fine.”  The look he was giving Skyfire suggested he didn’t really want to piss the big shuttle off more than he had to.</p><p>Ratchet shrugged.  “Well, I’m happy to declare victory.” Ratchet went to the door and opened it, yelling, “Starscream is now a taken mech!”</p><p>Starscream groaned pulling his blue servos over his faceplate.</p><p>Prowl and Soundwave entered with some awkwardness bleeding off their frames, turning into excitement.  “Right then,” Prowl said.  “Starscream, your presence is required at the signing.”</p><p>Starscream pulled his servos off his faceplate and stood with some reluctance, and walked towards the door, following Prowl, Hook, and Soundwave.</p><p>He stopped in the doorway and looked to Skyfire.  “You coming?”  Skyfire lifted his optic-ridges in surprise.</p><p>Soundwave held up a servo.  “Skyfire: Presence not required at ceremony.”</p><p>Starscream turned and arched an optic-ridge at his fellow Decepticon.  “He’s my <em>conjunx</em> that you forced me to have.  Don’t you want to show him off?</p><p>Soundwave shrugged, and Prowl nodded.  “Fine, bring him along.”  Skyfire stood to follow.</p><p>“One moment, Skyfire.  Question for you,” Ratchet asked.</p><p>“I’ll catch up,” Skyfire said to Starscream who lingered at the door a moment longer and then turned to leave in a flash of wings and heeled pedes.</p><p>Ratchet closed the door behind them and turned to Skyfire.</p><p>“You haven’t told him.”</p><p>“There hasn’t exactly been an occasion,” Skyfire said quietly, rubbing his chestplate over his spark.</p><p>Ratchet came over and pulled out a monitor from subspace, running it over Skyfire’s chest.  “It’s getting worse, Skyfire.”</p><p>The white shuttle sighed.  “I’m not sure what you want me to do about it.”</p><p>“Rest?  Take it easy?  <em>Not</em> put yourself under the stress of conjunxing the most highly-strung pair of wings in the <em>known universe</em>.  Oh, wait.  Too <em>late.</em>”</p><p>Skyfire grinned.  “I’ve very much grown to love your sarcasm, Ratchet.  Considering you don’t have any other mode of speech, I suppose that’s a good thing.  It’s quite endearing, actually.”</p><p>Ratchet sputtered a little.  “You are <em>far</em> too charming now that you have the mech of your dreams.” Ratchet put back his monitor into subspace.  “Are you… going to tell him?”</p><p>Skyfire’s face fell.  “He will be happier if he doesn’t know.  And him being happy makes me happy.”</p><p>“Skyfire, the whole point of this is that he gets himself bonded to an Autobot.  What is going to happen when-“</p><p>“Ratchet,” Skyfire interrupted.  “I promised you and Optimus that I would make this work.  I’m going to change his mind about restarting any wars.  Just… let me do it how I want to do it.”  Skyfire stood and walked out the door to catch up with his conjunx.</p><p>Ratchet watched him go with sad optics and sighed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. You Are Enough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ah, the happy couple has decided to join us <em>together</em> in <em>solidarity</em>,” Megatron teased. </p><p>“Wanted to have <em>someone</em> nearby who will listen to me,” Starscream replied.</p><p>Skyfire was attempting to stand awkwardly against the wall, but Starscream affixed him with a look and pointed to the chair next to him.  Skyfire sat down with some unease.  Megatron snorted.</p><p>The rest of the attendees were seated.  “Now.  To pick up where we left off.  On the datapads before you are the terms we have agreed to.  Megatron: do you have any objections to the responsibilities and concessions required of the Decepticons?”</p><p>“None at this time.”</p><p>“And Starscream?”</p><p>Starscream looked over the datapad quickly, knowing all eyes were on him, and dreading anything that came out of his mouth.  He enjoyed the power and attention for another moment before turning and smiling at the Prime.  “None at this time.”</p><p>A collective sigh of relief washed over the table.  Skyfire smirked.</p><p>“The Autobots similarly have no objections to the responsibilities and concessions herein described.  With these signatures… the war will officially be over,” he said, now for the second time this decacycle.</p><p>Each officer from the respective army rose from their seats and signed the datapad at the podium at the front.  After the last signatures from Optimus and Megatron, they grasped each other’s servos in a handshake.  The first after millions of years of war.</p><p>They exited the building and were greeted with every transformer on the planet, with giant displays showing the crowds that had gathered on Cybertron as well.  Megatron and Optimus smiled broadly to the cheers. </p><p>The speeches were of course long and full of platitudes for both armies.  They seemed to hit the right notes with the Transformers gathered round, as there were cheers and noises of agreement, even when Megatron spoke.  Starscream thought he detected some vague jabs at him in Megatron’s speech, talking about abandoning ambition or something, but he didn’t really care.  Every war had to have a villain.  If it couldn’t be Megatron, then he would get the blame.</p><p>Fine. </p><p>He had no intention of giving up his plans to start a new Decepticon faction.  He’d wait of course, until the optics of every mech was off of him, and then he could start finding the problems in this peace and start taking advantage.</p><p>All of these fools were a lot more in love with the <em>idea</em> of peace than actually how it was going to be accomplished.  Both Megatron and Optimus shared that kind of short-sightedness throughout the whole war.  They’d regret humiliating him by forcing him to conjunx.</p><p>Said conjunx however was making it increasingly difficult to be angry with him, despite the situation.  Skyfire leaned down and whispered in Starscream’s audio, “I had no idea Megatron was so eloquent.  He was usually just bellowing vague threats during the war.”</p><p>Starscream snorted.  “You know Megatron’s speeches got dramatically better after I signed up,” Starscream whispered back. “Despite being great at communications, Soundwave isn’t exactly inspiring.  Megatron is inspiring but his poetic rhetoric really didn’t match his audience.  I helped bridge these failings.”</p><p>“Poetic?” Skyfire said, incredulous.</p><p>“Have you never read his book of poetry?” Starscream said, turning his helm back to meet Skyfire’s blue optics.</p><p>Skyfire looked stricken and mouthed a “What?!” before turning his attention back to Megatron’s back.  Starscream stifled a smile. </p><p>The speeches concluded to rapturous applause, the leaders and officers left the small stage and walked down among the masses.  A few mechs shook their servos in congratulations.  Eventually the entire crowd moved to a giant field with a tarmac runway.    </p><p>There was a kind of a planned reception that followed with plenty of high-grade and music.</p><p>It should not have been terribly surprising that the two formerly warring armies kept to themselves at opposite ends of the tarmac they were on.  Starscream didn’t particularly want to go play nice with the Decepticons, and Skyfire was just as content to leave the Autobots alone.</p><p>Which left them in the middle.</p><p>Neither one seemed to mind.  They were talking about Megatron’s poetry, about Sunstreaker’s paintings, and about Soundwave’s interest in human music.  They really didn’t notice the armies watching them curiously, seeing if they were going to fight… or something. </p><p>The scrutinizing mechs were all kind of surprised when they appeared to be laughing.</p><p>“You’re taking on a big risk with this mech, Skyfire, are you sure you’ve made the right decision?” came the snarky voice of Skywarp.  Thundercracker was a few steps behind them.  Apparently, they had decided to be the first to walk over to the two of them.</p><p>Starscream gave a long-suffering sigh.</p><p>“He’s hard to put up with, trust us,” Thundercracker added with a chuckle.</p><p>“Me?!” Starscream groused, giving his trinemates a nasty look.</p><p>“I’m willing to put up with him,” Skyfire said with a soft smile.  Thundercracker smiled broadly, Skywarp chuckled, and Starscream sputtered.</p><p>“Well, <em>he </em>has to put up with <em>me?!”</em> Starscream said, trying to get control over his vocalizer.  “As you mentioned before, you broke all of our equipment on the way out to this Primus-forsaken mudball.”  He turned to his trine, with a shrug.  “Extremely clumsy mech.  It might be a good thing he never really joined the Decepticons.”</p><p>“Starscream,” Skyfire said with a laugh, “if I was breaking something, it meant you were yelling at me.  And if you were yelling at me, it meant you weren’t ignoring me.”</p><p>“<em>W-what-</em>” Starscream stammered, his voice failing him.</p><p>Skywarp made a noise somewhere on the spectrum between a laugh and a choke.  “That. Is. Adorable.”</p><p>“Well I don’t think Starscream could be left in better servos,” Thundercracker said.  He had a genuine smile that Starscream wasn’t sure he had seen since the war started.</p><p>“Saws hell in love and war, I guess,” Skywarp said with a smile.  Thundercracker gave his trinemate an incredulous look.</p><p>“You mean, ‘all’s well-‘”</p><p>“I know what I said,” Skywarp spat.  He then turned to Starscream, crossing his arms across his chassis.  “Congratulations, ‘Screamer, you actually did something you were told for once.  Proud of you.”</p><p>Starscream sighed exasperatedly. “Despite the war being over I suppose I won’t be rid of you.”</p><p>“Not a chance, buddy!  Trine is <em>forever</em>.”  It sounded vaguely like a threat, but Starscream still softened into a smile.</p><p>“You know what, I want to get laid by a sweet Autobot too,” Skywarp said suddenly. </p><p>“<em>Skywarp</em>,” Starscream hissed.</p><p>“What?  Mech, I’ve got a chance at an Aerialbot now, I’m taking it.”</p><p>Skyfire was making a deep booming laugh.  “They are a little young Skywarp-“</p><p>“I mean, yeah but they are adults.  Just means they’re impressionable, right?  Means I actually got a <em>chance</em>,” he said with a grin.  It seemed like Thundercracker was about to disagree, but Skywarp cut him off.  “Nah this is going to be great, they’re so <em>fragging cute.</em>”  Skywarp offered the conjunxes a wink and walked off with a not-as-reluctant-as-you’d-expect Thundercracker in tow.</p><p>Skyfire was clearly not immune to the antics of Skywarp and was laughing with abandon now.  Starscream watched him, softening at how his faceplate crinkled at his nose, and the lines at the corners of his optics seemed to appear as his deep staccato laugh escaped his chest. </p><p>“Well,” Skyfire said, wiping away the cleaning fluid that had welled up at the edges of his crystal blue optics.  “It seems your trine will be the first to try and bridge the gap between the factions.”</p><p>“You mean after us,” Starscream said with a wink.</p><p>Skyfire froze for a moment but then arched an optic-ridge. He smirked in reply.  He opened his mouth to say something when they were interrupted by a light cough of someone.</p><p>“Perceptor!” Skyfire said, noticing the newcomer with warmth.</p><p>Yes.  <em>Perceptor</em>. </p><p>“Skyfire, Starscream, congratulations on your bonding,” the Autobot scientist said with a smile.  He was only looking at Skyfire, Starscream noticed.</p><p>“Thank you,” Skyfire said, his smile reaching his optics.  “It means a lot coming from you.”</p><p><em>I’m sure it does</em>, Starscream thought.</p><p>“I also came over here to discuss the science coalition that I am founding.” He turned his gaze to Starscream.  “I was actually hoping you could co-lead it with me,” the Autobot said, without any trace of sarcasm or deceit.</p><p>Starscream wrinkled his brow. “What? <em>Me?</em>”  </p><p>“Correct me if I'm wrong,” Perceptor started, speaking carefully in his soft tones, “but you were top of your class at the Iacon Science Academy, <em>and</em> you attended the war academy.  Your credentials outstrip most of the other scientists on the Autobot side.  Especially since the war shut down most institutions of higher education for millennia.  And… hmm,” he said, clearly struggling with this next part.  “And your scientific contributions to your faction can’t exactly be… ignored,” he ended, awkwardly.</p><p>Starscream was still processing what he was hearing. “You want <em>me</em> to help lead?” </p><p>“It was Skyfire’s idea,” Perceptor said simply with a smile to Skyfire.</p><p>Starscream knew he wasn’t joking, which was more the pity.  They didn’t realize what they were in for.  Starscream had very little doubt this little coalition would likely fall apart just like this fragile peace that had been forged.</p><p>But he couldn’t deny that he felt oddly touched that Skyfire had…</p><p>“I would be honored,” his vocalizer said for him.  Perceptor’s smile was wide, and he could feel the radiance from Skyfire’s smile as well without even looking.</p><p>“Excellent.  I guess I should go talk to Shockwave now, too?”</p><p>Starscream suddenly felt very protective of the microscope-alt.</p><p>“Uhm, let us go with you,” Starscream said.</p><p>He missed the proud and happy look on Skyfire’s faceplate as he led the two Autobot scientists to meet the Decepticon mad scientist.</p>
<hr/><p>It was clear Skyfire was exhausted.  He was nodding off during the last hour of the party if he wasn’t being directly spoken to.  Starscream had pulled him away, saying their goodbyes and goodnights to take him back to their shared quarters.</p><p>Not that he cared, but he didn’t want anyone getting friendly with his sleepy conjunx.  There had been enough high-grade flowing to drown a titan.</p><p>By the end, Starscream had been a little surprised at how much the Autobots and Decepticons began to intermingle.  It was clearly still evident that things were uneasy and awkward, but there hadn’t been any open hostilities at all. </p><p>Rather boring for a Decepticon function, but Starscream could let it slide.</p><p>Skyfire was asleep standing up in the elevator inside their building.  How did he do that?</p><p>“Sky…” Starscream said, gently pushing on Skyfire’s back once the doors had opened. </p><p>Skyfire woke up and shook his helm, looking down at Starscream with embarrassment.  “Sorry,” he said, striding forward and into their quarters.</p><p>Starscream followed, closing the door behind them.  “Do you need to refuel?” Starscream asked.  He hadn’t seen Skyfire partake in any of the high-grade.</p><p>Skyfire shook his helm as he walked to the berthroom.  “No, thank you, just… tired.  It’s been a long day.”</p><p>Starscream agreed.  Ending a four-million-year war was tiring but pretending to enjoy the company of Autobots <em>and</em> Decepticons was <em>exhausting</em>.  Still, he followed Skyfire with curiosity and actually felt some concern when he saw Skyfire crawl into the berth with a pained expression and offline his blue optics.</p><p>Starscream strode up beside Skyfire in the berth, peering at him curiously.  “Are you alright?” he asked with narrowed optics.</p><p>Skyfire onlined his optics gazing up at Starscream.  “You were magnificent today,” he said, ignoring the question.  “You took all the teasing in stride and were absolutely charming about it.  You managed to break through the walls everyone had up and got them talking to each other.  Everyone couldn’t keep their optics off of you,” he murmured.</p><p>Starscream pulled back slightly in surprise.  “What? No, they were just waiting for me to make a mistake and say something they could use later.” He remembered Soundwave and Shockwave watching him with their mute expressions. </p><p>“I don’t think so,” Skyfire replied. His digits accidentally brushed against Starscream’s servo as he moved to sit up more.  The contact was brief, but Starscream flexed his blue servo in response.  Skyfire seemed to notice and hesitantly took Starscream’s servo into his and held it gently.  “I think they see you changing, and they are hopeful for themselves.”</p><p>Starscream tolerated the touch of the servo, but not the words.  “Changing…?” he repeated.  Skyfire’s optics lit his pale face in the darkness, and it stood out from the jewel-toned colors of the outfitted apartment. </p><p>He had started to feel offended and wanted to fight, but something about Skyfire’s demeanor stopped him.  “I suppose so,” he said noncommittally.  He moved to take his servo back, but Skyfire held firm.</p><p>“I don’t think you need to change,” Skyfire said.  “I wish <em>they</em> would change for <em>you.</em>”</p><p>Starscream gave a hard stare to Skyfire.  “Skyfire…  you don’t even know me.  Not anymore.  You can’t say these things and expect me to believe them.”</p><p>Skyfire’s expression softened.  “How have you changed that I don’t know you anymore?”</p><p>Starscream frowned.  “You tell me, Sky.  You mutinied against <em>me</em> in the arctic as I recall.”  Despite the subject of his words, they were still gentle.  Something was off about Skyfire, and he couldn’t bring himself to get incensed.</p><p>Skyfire’s optics glittered in the darkness.  “Touché,” he said.  “Though I do believe I might have made that decision too hastily.”</p><p>Starscream watched him, biting the inside of his cheek.</p><p>Skyfire smiled and squeezed his captured servo.  “I keep trying to figure out whether you lost something along the way of the life you've been leading, or if it was taken from you.  Maybe it was a little bit of both.”</p><p>Starscream paused for a moment.  “And what exactly did I lose?”</p><p>Skyfire sat up so that he was looking down at Starscream’s faceplate, painfully close to his.  “You are <em>enough</em>, Starscream.  Even if you never lead the Decepticons, your existence is enough.  Somehow while I was gone, you seem to have lost the ability to allow yourself to just… be.”</p><p>Starscream’s brow knitted at those words, and he wanted to walk away and not look at Skyfire again.  He wanted to go flying, he wanted to <em>leave</em>.  Skyfire’s words described someone pathetic and broken, whose ambition was merely an attempt to fill the hole in his spark.</p><p>It was <em>not</em> based on reality.  It <em>could not</em> be based on reality.</p><p>But he wasn’t moving.  His processor told him to run, but his frame was rooted to the spot before Skyfire. </p><p>Skyfire leaned forward and kissed his forehead.  It was gentle.  It was far too kind.  It spoke again of someone who needed comforting; someone that Starscream was <em>not</em>. </p><p>Skyfire didn’t know what he was talking about because he didn’t <em>know</em> Starscream.</p><p>“I feel like you’re in love with a ghost, Skyfire,” he said, his vocalizer thick.</p><p>Skyfire pulled back and settled on Starscream with a searching look.  “I’m going to prove you wrong.”</p><p>Skyfire wrapped his arms around Starscream and pulled him into an embrace, then pulled him into the berth so that they were laying next to each other, facing each other.  Starscream didn’t resist to both of their surprise. </p><p>They laid there in silence until Skyfire slipped into recharge, his arms still wrapped around him.  Starscream listened to his light ventilations, thinking far into the evening until recharge also took him as well.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Omg your COMMENTS I LOVE YOU</p><p>
  <a href="https://media.tenor.com/images/adb4c3dfc1552fb064d3d300959b4c56/tenor.gif">This is me as I see you realize where we are going in this fic</a>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Power Couple</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AH I MISCOUNTED, I have more chapters than I thought. We gotta get these CHAPTERS OUT lol- trying to finish up by Xmas Eve</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first order of business was to try and rebuild Cybertron, which was easier said than done.  That’s where the science coalition came in.</p><p>Perceptor and Starscream actually complemented each other quite well.  Starscream had the practical knowledge of application and resourcefulness, stretching things when you didn’t quite have all the materials you needed. Meanwhile, Perceptor had the theoretical and historical knowledge that allowed them to expand on the previous work of other scientists in the past. </p><p>Shockwave had only bristled slightly that he was not the representative “Decepticon” in the leadership of the coalition, but he understood that Starscream’s conjunx to an Autobot somehow made him more approachable for the Autobot scientists.  And he noticed that Starscream was actually… working well with them.  Shockwave was more content to sit in his lab and test things.</p><p>Energon production and supply was the main problem they were trying to tackle.  Earth had given them a complex of land in Greenland that they could call their own, given that the two factions traded knowledge with Earth countries on a controlled basis and they behaved themselves.  They named it “New Iacon” to the collective groan of the Decepticons.</p><p>The plan was to dismantle the old factional bases in the name of unity, with new housing to be built on both their parcel of land and on Cybertron.  The Constructicons were leading this effort and Skyfire was observing as they built a new science lab that didn’t have the memory of Autobots or Decepticons within its walls.</p><p>Unfortunately, the build was off.</p><p>Skyfire hadn’t wanted to say anything.  He noticed it and kept trying to edit the plans to allot for the microns they were off by, but it was a cascade effect; everything was going to be wrong now.  He was frowning.</p><p>“Scrapper,” he said finally.  “Excuse me, Scrapper?” he repeated when the mech didn’t reply.</p><p>The Constructicon leader turned and did the full head-to-pede look that a lot of mechs did at his size.  He was used to it.</p><p>“What can I do for you, Mr. Starscream?” he said with a laugh.</p><p>Skyfire raised his optic-ridges in recognition of the joke but didn’t comment.  “Apologies, Scrapper.  Have you all checked the build against the plans-”</p><p>“Of course, we had to make some adjustments you know, but it’s fine.”</p><p>Skyfire frowned.  “I’m afraid I don’t agree-”</p><p>“Well good thing I don’t care, big bot,” Scrapper said, smirking.  “Hey it’s nothing personal.  It’s just that we have to adjust on the fly sometimes, you know?”</p><p>Skyfire opened his mouth to protest again but Scrapper was already walking away.</p><p>The sound of a jet approaching made Skyfire look up at the sky and smile despite his mood.  Starscream transformed and landed nearby. </p><p>“Hey,” Starscream said, walking up to Skyfire.</p><p>“Hey yourself,” Skyfire said, folding his arms and looking back at the work still being done.  He wondered if Starscream would ever greet him with a kiss?  Distracting thought he supposed.</p><p>“I saw you having a <em> discussion </em> with Scrapper,” Starscream said with unnecessary emphasis on the word “discussion.”  They had been working on not calling every interaction an “argument,” with limited results.</p><p>Skyfire was a patient mech.</p><p>“Yes, can you look at these plans for me?  The build is off and he’s telling me they just had to make adjustments-”</p><p>Starscream’s optics quickly darkened to a more angry shade of red.  He only glanced at the plans before muttering and launching into the sky to catch up to Scrapper, who was laughing with the other Constructicons.</p><p>Perceptor appeared beside Skyfire.  “Ah, there he is,” he huffed, clearly having run here.  “I need to talk to Starscream,” he said, taking a few steps to go after him.</p><p>Skyfire gently swung out an arm to stop his fellow Autobot scientist.  “I would… wait a moment.” </p><p>Starscream’s shriek could be heard across the courtyard.</p><p>“Scrapper?!” he cried.  “What the frag is this?”</p><p>The Constructicon winced and turned around.  “Ah, <em> Starscream, </em> so good to see you-”</p><p>“Are the measurements off?” he snapped without preamble.</p><p>Scrapper gave a long-suffering sigh that hinted at his millennia of experience with Starscream.  “Yes, because the land was uneven and we had to build around it.”</p><p>“Oh, oh I <em> see</em>,” Starscream said dangerously.  “And you don’t have a bulldozer on your team, do you?”</p><p>Scrapper frowned.  “You’re being ridiculous, as usual.  It was a time thing, and this is fine, it’ll all work out.  Skyfire didn’t seem to mind,” the Constructicon said, folding his arms and glancing at Skyfire watching the exchange.</p><p>“What’s happening?” Wheeljack said as he walked up next to Skyfire and Perceptor.  “I heard yelling.”</p><p>Skyfire smirked.  “Decepticon diplomacy, I think.”</p><p>Starscream put his servos on his hips.  “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to be lazy and take advantage of my conjunx to get away with it.”</p><p>Scrapper’s faceplate darkened.  “What do you want me to do about it, now? It’s built!”</p><p>“And it’s built TERRIBLY!  The whole build is off, now we are going to have to adjust every subsequent floor above and move the other buildings around it.  It’s going to cause cracks-”</p><p>“So we’ll repair them!”</p><p>“Why don’t you just do it right the FIRST time?!”</p><p>Scrapper’s frame tensed as he stared down at the shorter seeker glaring up at him.  “I told you.  It’s already done!  What do you want me to do about it?!”</p><p>Starscream took a step forward to get in Scrapper’s face.  “I don’t know, gather up your gestalt, combine, and MOVE IT OVER?!”</p><p>Scrapper looked like he was about to yell something else until he considered the words.  “That could work.”</p><p>“Slag yes it could,” Starscream said, his vocalizer hoarse from yelling.  Both former Decepticons were now relaxing, the stance of their frames becoming languid and maybe even <em> friendly</em>.</p><p>“Hook, Long Haul, get over here, we have to move something, or the Prince of Vos is going to rip my throat out,” he commed.  Starscream gave him an indulgent smirk.  The other Constructicons emerged from other places on the site and got ready to combine.</p><p>“Thank you <em> so much </em> for your help.”</p><p>“Anytime, Starscream,” Scrapper retorted with a huff, but smiled slightly.</p><p>Starscream sauntered back over to the assembled scientists, not looking surprised that he had drawn a crowd.  </p><p>“Thank you,” Skyfire said with a gentle smile.</p><p>Starscream, faltered for only a flicker of a moment but quickly regained his composure.  “Of course.  Sadly, old habits die hard,” he said, folding his arms. He turned to see Devastator gently moving the foundation of the building so that it was correctly aligned with everything else.</p><p>“Perceptor!  Where have you been? We have a meeting, don’t we?” Starscream said in a clipped tone.</p><p>Perceptor looked up to the sky, silently asking for patience from Primus.  Or that’s how it appeared to Skyfire.</p><p>“Yes, Starscream, I was looking for you.  Do you have the latest results from Shockwave?  He keeps giving me cryptic answers.”</p><p>Starscream nodded.  “Yes, I had to hack his computers to get it, but I have them.”  Perceptor looked a little scandalized.  Starscream just shrugged.  “If he’s playing with you, it means he likes you.  He probably expected you to try and hack in.”</p><p>Perceptor just shook his head.  “Sure,” he said quietly.  “Okay.  Let’s go look at them.”</p><p>Starscream and Perceptor left, with Starscream giving one last look to Skyfire over his shoulder.  Skyfire threw him a wink, which almost made Starscream trip, but he caught himself. </p><p>“You two are becoming quite the power couple,” Wheeljack observed.</p><p>Skyfire laughed.  “Glad you noticed.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Such a Gentlemech</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Starscream’s optics hurt at how much he had been rolling them.</p><p>You would think the war was still raging given how much Megatron and Optimus were still arguing.  They were yelling and throwing insults at each other like they had just met on the battlefield.</p><p>Seemed the “peace” was still somewhat thin.  What a surprise.</p><p>Starscream looked to Prowl for support in solidarity, and surprisingly this doorwings were twitching in annoyance as well.  He met Starscream’s optics and sighed.</p><p>Starscream gave a fanged grin.</p><p>“Gentlemechs,” Starscream said, placing his palms on the table and standing.  The two former leaders turned to him mid-invective and seemed to remember where they were and what they were <em>supposed</em> to be doing.  </p><p>“My conjunx has just informed me that I am due at another meeting shortly.”  He had found that mentioning Skyfire in conversations, especially as his conjunx, usually allowed him more respect than he was usually afforded.  It rankled him a little, but he would do <em>anything</em> to get out of this meeting.  “I think we can be adjourned for the day?” he asked hopefully.</p><p>“I concur,” Prowl added hastily, standing and affixing Optimus with a put-out look.</p><p>“Oh <em>please</em>, Primus, say that again so that I can record it,” Starscream said with pleading optics.</p><p>Megatron huffed.  “Very well, I will submit my rebuttal in <em>writing</em>,” he said, turning on his pede and leaving.  Prowl was not far behind.</p><p>Optimus sighed, gathering up his datapads while shaking his helm.  Starscream turned to follow Megatron out, but Optimus called him back.</p><p>“Starscream, can I have a moment?”</p><p>Starscream resisted the urge to grimace in annoyance.  “Prime, of <em>course</em>,” he said.</p><p>“I wondered how things were going with Skyfire?”</p><p>Starscream was a little taken aback by the direct question, especially of this nature.  “Things…?”</p><p>Prime’s optics softened.  “I suppose I’m asking if you two are happy.”</p><p>Starscream tried to keep his face impassive but knew he was failing.  He didn’t really want to talk about this kind of thing with anyone, let alone the Prime.  He was still bitter at both leaders for forcing him into this arrangement in the first place, and he wasn’t about to let them think that they should pat themselves on the back.</p><p>However.  He didn’t want to lie about Skyfire. Not about this.</p><p>“We are making it work,” he answered tiredly, the weight of the truth making his wings droop.  “I… think he is happy with the arrangement, despite my… faults.” He clenched his denta, not intending to tell Prime the <em>complete</em> truth, but here it was spilling out of him like an amateur.  “And my initial misgivings are fading,” he finished quickly.</p><p>Prime, the evil slagger he was, had amusement in his optics.  “I am glad to hear it.  When he came into my office to make his case, he was so earnest and… sad.”  The Prime gathered up the last of his datapads.  “I hoped things would go well for you as well.”</p><p>Starscream was biting the inside of his cheek.  His spark was yearning to learn more about the case Skyfire had made, but he didn’t dare trust himself to ask.  It felt like… begging.</p><p>Prime perhaps noticed his quiet battle.  “I think he has loved you for a very long time,” he said gently.</p><p>Starscream exvented, turning on his pede.  “I… know,” he said, leaving the Prime before more truths could weigh him down and threaten to overwhelm him.</p><hr/><p>Skyfire was looking out the window of their apartment, sitting on the couch and watching the sunset.  He was attempting to massage where his shoulder met his neck but couldn’t quite angle his servo right to reach it. </p><p>He had been assisting with the transportation of materials back and forth from Earth to Cybertron since they started to rebuild certain aspects of their homeworld, while also making their new, emerging city even better for them.</p><p>Unfortunately, some disagreements had broken out between the Combaticons and the Lamborghini twins, who were helping to load the materials onto Skyfire.  Skyfire had tried to be soothing, but the disagreement got heated and turned into a brawl in his hold.  There wasn’t any <em>actual</em> damage, but the situation had been tense and Skyfire had been stuck in his alt-mode during the whole thing and couldn’t do anything other than try and talk them out of it.</p><p>He sighed, giving up on trying to work the stiffness out of his frame.</p><p>Which made him surprised when deft and strong servos were suddenly massaging him. </p><p>He gave a surprised noise and was about to turn around when the servos found <em>the spot</em> and he melted into the touch.  He didn’t care if it was the Slagmaker himself massaging him, as long as they kept going.</p><p>“I’m supposing this is alright?” he heard the voice in his audial, far too smug with himself.</p><p>“Yes, yup, that’s-” he hissed, “… you definitely found it.”</p><p>Starscream chuckled and Skyfire felt his spark swell at the sound.</p><p>After a few minutes, Skyfire opened his optics and slowly reached up a servo to place it over Starscream’s, causing Starscream to pause.  Skyfire relished in the contact, the warmth of the servo under his own, imagining for a moment that they weren’t in some kind of political arrangement to tame Starscream, but in a caring relationship built on the years they had known each other and the love that they shared.</p><p>He was constantly trying to remind himself that it was enough that Starscream was there with him every evening and that he could bask in the warmth of the frame next to him in the berth.  Skyfire had been determined to let Starscream guide him, giving him the choices that he didn’t have in conjunxing.  But more and more, it was making him ache with unmet want.</p><p>But Starscream constantly surprised him.</p><p>Starscream moved his servos down to Skyfire’s front and clasped them together in an embrace.  Starscream pushed into Skyfire’s back and effectively draped across Skyfire’s shoulders and between his wings.  Skyfire could practically hear his own sparkbeat echoing in his audials and his frame felt like it was on fire wherever Starscream was making contact.</p><p>“Why so tense?” Starscream asked gently.</p><p>Skyfire leaned back a little, allowing his frame to rest up against Starscream, and tilting his helm so that it was leaning against Starscream’s cheek.  He was so starved for affection that he would take any small sign from Starscream that touch was allowed and expand on it.</p><p>Starscream hummed with concern, and Skyfire could feel the vibration travel down his back, leaving him trying to stifle a shiver.</p><p>Skyfire pulled back a little, turning to face the helm next to him.  Starscream’s optics were fixed on him with concern, but they were also bright with something else.  Skyfire felt himself helpless in the gaze and just wanted this, wanted him, wanted Starscream-</p><p>He had pushed his lips against Starscream’s.</p><p>And Starscream didn’t pull away.</p><p>It felt like their first kiss, but this was so much more important.  So much more had happened to separate them over time, across millennia of ice and war.  The gap had widened like a crevasse and only now, with Starscream not pushing him away, did Skyfire even begin to believe that there could be a bridge between them again.</p><p>When Starscream’s glossa entered his mouth, he gasped.</p><p>Starscream’s servos had come up to rest against his cheek as they kissed deeply.  It was passionate and indulgent, and it spoke of the promise of more.  </p><p>Starscream pulled back, and Skyfire chased his lips briefly but stopped as he onlined his optics again, staring into his dark faceplate.  Starscream’s thumb was gently brushing his cheek.  </p><p>“So <em>eager</em>,” he said with a smile.  Skyfire’s faceplates blushed with embarrassment. “Are your needs not being met, my conjunx?” he asked lightly, airily.</p><p>Skyfire knew this version of Starscream well, and it incited all kinds of voracious desire in him.  Starscream was a little capricious, lightly cruel, and impossibly attractive.  And worst of all, Starscream knew the effect he had.</p><p>“I will happily take whatever you will give me,” Skyfire said slowly, measuredly.  Starscream was still testing him, like he did in all of his relationships.  He had seen it with their professors, he had seen it with his Trine, and he had seen it with Megatron.  Throwing a bomb at the boundary between them and seeing if it bounced back or exploded.</p><p>Starscream smirked, letting his thumb brush over Skyfire’s lips.  “But what do you <em>want,</em> Skyfire?” the sinful voice purred.  “You have been far too much the gentlemech so far.”</p><p>Skyfire sighed.  Starscream<em> was</em> testing him; some kind of challenge to see if he would behave like a rutting frat amica from University or if he would keep his servos to himself and show restraint.  “Starscream, I want <em>you</em>.  I thought that would have been obvious by now.  But I’m willing to wait.”</p><p>“Why?” Starscream said haughtily.  “Some kind of Autobot honor code?”</p><p>Skyfire smirked.   “No, just… you’re worth the wait.”</p><p>Starscream stilled, and his confidence faltered.  </p><p>Unbalanced, Starscream now looked confused.  Skyfire rose from the couch and Starscream withdrew his servo as if he had been burned. Skyfire walked around and went to the washracks, giving his seeker a soft, gentle smile as he went.</p><p>Starscream watched him carefully then tried to look busy doing nothing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Lost in the Arms of Your Conjunx</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So, what’s it like being bonded to a Decepticon?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skyfire was doing some classifications of different types of earth metals and the common forms they were found in on the planet.  Something he had never actually finished after being frozen in the ice for a few millennia.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kind of made him laugh that he was finally able to complete the work after all this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bumblebee was not an unwelcome visitor in the lab.  He was quieter than the twins, but more politely interested than Ironhide or Jazz.  This question struck him as odd though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I suppose it’s like being bonded to anyone else?”  He tried not to allow the irritation to flow into his vocalizer.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bumblebee was apparently </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> curious though.  “But I mean… it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Starscream</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skyfire was used to this vein of conversation; he had it many, many times.  He thought about just shutting down the conversation like he usually did, walking away and letting them keep their prejudices that they were unlikely to change no matter what he said.  But he felt differently this time for some reason.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Starscream does not easily open up to people,” he started.  “Many mechs have always made assumptions about him, and he’s not always inclined to correct them.  He’s very intelligent, and considerate, when he wants to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bumblebee grinned, nodding.  “I just wonder sometimes about the war being over.  It’s still too new, and everyone is kind of minding their own business, you know?  Things haven’t been… </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span> I guess, but they are still tense.  I just have a lot of trouble understanding them.” Bumblebee sighed.“But then I look at you two, and I wonder… maybe it is possible for us to understand each other.  You two are so different, yet you obviously have found a way to make it work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skyfire froze and looked back at the mini-bot again with new optics.  “...really?” he asked, somewhat surprised.  He didn’t realize others were paying any attention to their relationship with such good intentions.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bumblebee smiled fondly.  “I never thought I would think Starscream was cute, but the way he cares for you is honestly…” the minibot trailed off in a slight blush.  “I know you two had history before the war, but things got pretty bad for you after you woke up, as I recall.  It’s amazing that you could forgive him for everything.  And I think that’s what gives me hope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skyfire felt so touched and smiled, not sure how to respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mini-bot gave a little wave.  “Thanks for the chat, Skyfire,” he said, before he left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now alone in the lab, Skyfire turned back to his metals laying on the table.  He stared at them for a few moments, looking but not actually seeing.  His servos started to shake.  He brought them up to cover his faceplate and quietly erupted into sobs.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Starscream was flying to stretch his wings.  The warm star of the system heated his plating pleasantly, and he enjoyed the cool rush of the wind at this altitude that contrasted it.  Despite everything, he had begun to enjoy this planet in some way.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His comms pinged angrily, interrupting his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t checked in for a while.  We were wondering if you were getting lost in the arms of your conjunx.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starscream internally grimaced.  “You aren’t supposed to contact me over comms.  We agreed on this.  Too easily traceable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one is monitoring you anymore; you’ve managed to convince everyone that you are a happily bonded little seeker.  But… you are still going to help us, right?  Oh glorious </span>
  <em>
    <span>leader</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starscream was unhappy.  He didn’t really feel like having this conversation right now.  “We will have to discuss this later, as my bond-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you can’t control Skyfire, we can help with that,” the voice said menacingly.  “But we will need your help soon.  Like we </span>
  <em>
    <span>agreed</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starscream heard the comm go dead and silently cursed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His little pleasure flight was suddenly a lot less relaxing.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Starscream, Skyfire, Perceptor, and Shockwave were inspecting the new energon factory they were building in conjunction with the Constructicons.  Things appeared to be moving on schedule, and within a month they would be able to have a steady flow of energon to fuel the Cybertronians on Earth and back on Cybertron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have run into a small delay, however,” Shockwave said, his yellow optic roving over the raw material crates that were waiting to be opened on the deck.  “I have noticed that whenever I place the order, the humans are much more likely to have unforeseen circumstances leading to materials being delivered late.  I’ve compared this to when Perceptor has ordered and the results indicate that perhaps I should refrain from working with humans from now on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skyfire pursed his lips.  “No, I don’t want to do that.  They have to get used to us working together.  But I’m surprised they even know who you are?  I mean for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Starscream </span>
  </em>
  <span>though, yeah, I’d absolutely expect they would delay everything,” he said teasingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starscream stuck out his glossa at Skyfire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still,” Perceptor said, “should we talk to them about it?  Or maybe it is too much to ask of them.  We might have ended our war, but it still took a toll on the planets we fought on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll bring it up to Prime at our next meeting,” Starscream said.  “We can’t afford any more delays.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Secretly though, Starscream wondered when the next meeting would be.  Megatron had cancelled the past two meetings and had failed to confirm he would be at the next one.  Starscream decided that something had to be done.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Teach Us What Happiness Looks Like</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Starscream touched down on the <em>Victory’s</em> tower, his pedes clicking on the platform.  He then entered and rode the elevator down into the depths.  It had been about a month since he had last been here, stuck in the brig, and the thought of the war still looming over them.</p><p>In some ways it was more comfortable back then.  Status quo was held, and everyone knew how to interact with each other.  </p><p>Now things were… difficult.  He couldn’t just attack a mech for looking at him oddly, and he had to share his findings and successes with Autobots as they marched towards understanding how to fix Cybertron.</p><p>The Autobot scientists actually weren’t that bad.  They at least had something in common with him, unlike many of his former Decepticon allies, and he got to interact with Skyfire in a lab setting again.  It felt like the good days.</p><p>But he suspected that not everyone who claimed to be happy with the changes to the status quo was actually … happy.</p><p>Sure enough, Megatron was watching old battle footage, alone, in the control room of the <em>Victory</em>.  </p><p>The base had been abandoned and stripped almost everything useful.  Everything was now at “New Iacon” with the rest of their burgeoning city in Greenland.  Starscream had guessed the former warlord would be down there, and it was with a smirk that he congratulated himself for being right.</p><p>Megatron noticed his arrival with an arch of an optic-ridge, and offered Starscream a cube of high-grade.  Starscream saw that he had gone through quite a few already.  He was seated on the floor, leaning back against the stairs that led up to his throne chair.  With a put-upon sigh Starscream rolled his optics and sat next to Megatron, taking the cube.</p><p>“This is pathetic, even for you,” he said as he sipped his high-grade and watched the light of the footage splash on Megatron’s faceplate.</p><p>“Silence. I want to hear this,” Megatron said, his voice gravelly and oddly sedate.</p><p>The footage was of the ill-thought-out one-on-one battle between him and Optimus, and Megatron had cheated in the battle by using the power chip rectifiers of all of the Decepticons, gaining their powers.</p><p>Starscream’s visage was on the screen, telling Megatron that cheating this way would void his victory.</p><p><em>"I WILL WIN BY ANY MEANS! AT ANY COST!" </em>Megatron’s past self had bellowed as he absorbed the power granted to him by his army.</p><p>“You were right of course,” Megatron said, sipping more high-grade.  “I wonder if you were right about more than I gave you credit for.”</p><p>Starscream froze mid-sip of his energon.  He gave a sideways glance to Megatron and then regarded the high-grade in his servo, wondering if it was poisoned.  He slowly set it down.</p><p>“Listening to me more would have been good for both of us,” Starscream said finally as the scenes still played out on the screen.</p><p>
  <em>“Hail Optimus Prime and welcome to defeat!”</em>
</p><p>Megatron beside him chuckled darkly and drank almost half of his cube.</p><p>“Don’t you think you should slow down?” Starscream asked.  “I’m not carrying you out of here.”</p><p>Megatron shook his helm.  “I don’t need to leave.  I’ve been recharging here for the past decacycle.  Feels more comfortable.  Like old times.”  </p><p>Starscream felt something in his tank twist and he didn’t like it.  The base was decrepit now, especially with no Decepticons there anymore trying to maintain it.  It smelled of rust, brine, and damp.  Now that Starscream had been sleeping in a clean, well-lit apartment he realized just how awful of a place their base was.  He looked at Megatron again.  “What’s wrong with you?”</p><p>
  <em>“You were good Optimus prime, but not good enough to defeat Megatron!”</em>
</p><p>“You got what you wanted,” Starscream continued.  “The end of the war, lasting peace, etcetera, etcetera," he said, throwing his servo in the air for emphasis.</p><p>Megatron slowly turned and looked at Starscream with slightly dim optics.  “But I think you were right.  I think I gave up too much of ourselves in the negotiations.  Maybe we ended everything too soon.”  </p><p><em>“...to violate that law would violate our honor,”</em> Optimus of the past said.</p><p>Starscream bit the inside of his cheek.  “I don’t think so,” he said, though it pained him to say.  “I just don’t think you ever thought you were going to survive the war, so you didn’t think about what it would look like afterward.”  Starscream sighed and leaned back against the steps too.  “For what it’s worth… I like my life a lot more now than I did before.”</p><p><em>“Now, before he realizes what is happening,”</em> the onscreen Optimus said.</p><p>Megatron sighed.  “You also have a conjunx who cares about you and is dedicated to making you happy. Of course you do.”</p><p>Starscream was about to retort when he glanced at the screen again and then back at his former Decepticon leader.  A realization dawned on him.</p><p>Seriously?  That’s what this was about?</p><p>“You are hopeless,” Starscream said, pushing Megatron’s shoulder.  “Just go and tell him.”</p><p>Megatron reluctantly pulled his optics from the screen to look at Starscream.  “I force you to conjunx and now you dare to give out… advice.”</p><p>“<em>Romantic</em> advice you mean? Why not? I think I have the right.”  Starscream repressed a smile though.  Megatron wasn’t denying it.  “And you’re trying to avoid talking to him so much you were thinking about starting up the war again.”</p><p>Megatron snorted and finished his cube of energon and then threw it against the wall.  Starscream flinched at the noise of it breaking but otherwise didn’t move.  “I don’t want to talk about this with you.”</p><p>“Too slagging bad,” Starscream said.  “I’m the closest thing to a friend you have, which is honestly pathetic given how much I still hate you.  But I will tell it to you straight rather than tell what you want to hear.  Just tell him.  Then at least you will know either way.”</p><p>“Have you told Skyfire?” Megatron said as the display went dark as the playback ended, plunging the room in mostly-darkness, lit only by the faint glow of low-level emergency systems that were still running.</p><p>Starscream pursed his lips.  “I don’t have to tell him.  We’re bonded.”</p><p>Megatron stared into the darkness, not saying anything for a while.  Finally, he turned to Starscream.  “Go back to your conjunx, Starscream, and be happy.  Then come back and teach the rest of us what that looks like.”</p><p>Starscream was struck by the pain in the Megatron’s voice, and realized this despondence wasn’t just about the former Autobot leader.  Megatron, and maybe some of the other Decepticons, had never really learned how to be happy, or to seek happiness.  And they were now without anything to take up their attention away from this fact.</p><p>Starscream sighed.  “You can’t stay here,” he said standing up.</p><p>Megatron snorted.  “Oh really? What are you going to do about it?” he said, starting to slur some of his words together. </p><p>Starscream gave a feral grin in the dark.</p>
<hr/><p>“I’M GOING TO <em>MURDER</em> YOU AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE AN ACCIDENT,” Megatron bellowed.  Optimus rolled his optics as he supported most of the weight of the him, and Starscream held his pedes as they carried him out of the <em>Victory</em>.</p><p>“Pfft,” Starscream replied.  “The only way you’re killing me tonight is if I asphyxiate from your <em>fumes</em>,” he said, shifting the pedes in his arms to get a better grip.  Megatron didn’t have the strength to fight back, but still tried to half-heartedly kick Starscream.</p><p>“Megatron, we’re just trying to help,” Optimus said.</p><p>At the sound of Optimus’s voice, Megatron stilled and seemed to find some of his dignity.  “I can walk,” he said quietly.</p><p>“<em>Yes</em> but <em>will</em> you?” Starscream asked.  “You aren’t recharging here again.”</p><p>Megatron growled but then nodded.  Optimus and Starscream put him down, though immediately Megatron swayed on his pedes.  Optimus threw a servo out and held onto his arm to steady him.</p><p>"Let's get you back to New Iacon," Optimus said warmly.</p><p>Starscream knew his former lord well, and saw the rising heat creep up his neck.  Starcream bit his lower lip, trying to hide his smirk. "I'll leave you to it.  I leave my lord in the most capable servos," he said with an exaggerated bow.</p><p>Prime nodded like this was the holiest of missions from Primus.  Megatron gave an aggrieved look to Starscream but was quickly distracted by the proximity of the Prime steadying his walk.</p><p>Starscream shot into the air, transforming and spinning happily into the night sky.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter is the explicit scene, so be warned if it's not your thing! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. You Were Never A Great Person</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>NSFW Sex scene :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Skyfire heard Starscream come back into their modest apartment, attempting to be quiet.  He didn’t mean to stay up, but he had found it harder and harder to sleep lately.</p><p>"Did I wake you?" came a gentle voice from the doorway.  </p><p>"No, I was awake," he replied, looking up from his datapad.  “You were out late.”</p><p>Starscream smirked in the darkness.  “I was playing matchmaker,” he said, his optics glinting.  “We’ll see if it pays off.”  Starscream walked in and settled on his side of the berth, and leaned his shoulder against Skyfire.  “What are you reading?”</p><p>Skyfire smiled.  “Megatron’s poetry.”</p><p>“WHAT, <em>no</em>, oh Primus, how did you find it?”  Starscream scrambled closer trying to get a closer look at the datapad.</p><p>“It was a challenge,” Skyfire laughed.  “But it appeared that Shockwave was happy to share once I showed him my interest was genuine.”</p><p>“How did you convince him you were genuine?  He would have protected the poems with his <em>life</em>.”</p><p>Skyfire smirked.  “I told him you were a fan and I wanted to get a copy for you for old times’ sake.”</p><p>Starscream immediately started glaring, which made Skyfire laugh.  “You didn’t.”</p><p>Skyfire chuckled.  “No, I didn’t, but I did say I wanted to read them to understand Megatron better.  For you.”</p><p>Starscream relaxed a little but was still a little irritated.  He was… adorable when he was like this.</p><p>“You are <em>so </em>annoying,” he said, but his frame settled in next to Skyfire’s, and he seemed content.</p><p>Skyfire smiled softly and looked over his conjunx.  His darker faceplate was still crinkled in mild annoyance, but his optics were bright with amusement.  He was leaning over and trying to read some of the lines Megatron had apparently written a long time ago.  It was surprisingly well-written, and better than Skyfire would have given the former Decepticon leader credit for.</p><p>Starscream moved his optics to meet his, catching him staring.  They shared a look for a moment before Starscream looked down at his lap.  “You wanted to get to know Megatron better for me?”</p><p>“You said that I couldn’t possibly be interested in you since I didn’t know you.  So I decided to learn about some of the people that you have been around the most after my accident.”</p><p>Starscream was staring off into the middle-distance, clearly calculating something.  “I’m not a good person, Skyfire.  I’ve killed mechs and I didn’t necessarily feel bad about it.”</p><p>“As I understand it, that happens in war.”</p><p>Starscream affixed him with a glare.  “Don’t be flippant.  It wasn’t always self-defense, Skyfire.  I have razed civilizations, destroyed the lives of innocents, stolen, lied, and cheated.  I’m not the same seeker scientist you found mildly amusing all those millennia ago.”</p><p>Skyfire nodded.  “I hate to break this to you, Starscream, but you were never a <em>great</em> person.”</p><p>Starscream shook his head in bewilderment.  “I feel like you are <em>trying</em> to say something nice, but what the <em>frag,</em> Sky.”</p><p>Skyfire smirked.  “You were always rude, arrogant, impetuous, and even cruel.  But that’s not <em>all</em> you were.  And I fell in love with <em>all</em> of you.”</p><p>Starscream attempted to pull back, but Skyfire reached out a servo and gently held his arm.  “Please don’t pull away from me again; I’m not sure I can take it anymore,” he whispered desperately.  </p><p>Starscream froze.  “What if I’m not in love with you back?” he rasped, not meeting his optics.</p><p>“That I can take,” Skyfire said sadly.  “But I just need to know, one way or the other.  No more… confusion.”</p><p>They sat in silence for a long time until finally Starscream looked up at him.  There was so much etched in his face: pain, hurt, concern, fear, and uncertainty.  Skyfire hated pressing the issue; he had never intended to make Starscream tell him one way or the other.  He had been content to wait.</p><p>But Skyfire had been wrong.  He could not wait.  He was breaking and needed to know.</p><p>After a few moments, Starscream shifted. He crawled into Skyfire’s lap, straddling him.  After a few breathless moments, Starscream then leaned in and met Skyfire's lips in a kiss.</p><p>Time seemed to stop for a moment, as Skyfire’s processor tried to catch up.  Suddenly overwhelmed with relief and happiness, his frame remembered that he had an eager, incredibly sexy seeker straddling him and kissing him.</p><p>Skyfire made a deep noise in his vocalizer, and kissed him back. He lifted up his servos to hold the sides of Starscream’s face, kissing him deeper.  Starscream was surrendering against him, his guard finally down and they kissed passionately, exploring and breathless until Skyfire broke away to kiss the neck before him.  </p><p>His servos traced down Starscream's frame, feeling the smooth metal that he had wanted to touch since he had woken from the ice. He felt both weak and invigorated at the same time, wanting to relax with his seeker against him but also wanting to grasp, grab, and <em>hold.</em></p><p>“Sky…” Starscream whispered as lust quivered through him.  Skyfire pulled him closer, imprisoning him in his arms.  Starscream whimpered as Skyfire bit down on his neck cabling, teasing and possessing at the same time.  “Sky, <em>please</em>,” Starscream whispered.</p><p>“What do you want?” Skyfire asked, breathing into his neck.  </p><p>Starscream shivered, his ventilations hitching.  “Everything,” he replied back, his vocalizer thick.</p><p>Skyfire continued his assault on Starscream's neck with renewed vigor.  He ran his glossa across the sensitive cabling and teased the wires with his denta.  Finally, when he felt Starscream practically whine with need, he released him from his arms.</p><p>Starscream brought his servo up to gently grasp Skyfire's chin and pull it away from his neck.  Starscream then kissed him with bruising force, pinning him against the back of the wall of the berth. It hit him like a crushing wave, pulling him deeper into desire.</p><p>Starscream lightly grabbed Skyfire's white servo and pulled it down between his warm thighs.  Starscream bucked his codpiece against the captured servo, and Skyfire hummed into Starscream's mouth with teasing curiosity.  His servo grasped the panel and Starscream gasped lightly, pulling his forehead down to Skyfire's chest to shudder against him.</p><p>At the Skyfire’s gentle insistence, the panel <em>snicked </em>away, leaving Starscream's interface array exposed.  The plush outer folds of his valve were now cupped in Skyfires digits, already slick with lubricant, and when he flexed his servo he felt Starscream squirm against the sensation.</p><p>This was both familiar and new at the same time.  They had done this several times before, many, many millennia ago, but now there was a sense that Starscream could disappear like a wisp of smoke.</p><p>He gently pressed a digit to Starscream's anterior node and he began to move it in small, tight circles.  Skyfire remembered the pressure Starscream liked, the variance, the speed.  Starscream lost himself a little more, leaving Skyfire to pursue him and watch him become undone in his touch.</p><p>Starscream's servos were now scrambling at Skyfires panels, desperately touching them and trying to find the release.  Skyfire almost just solved the issue for him, amused at how Starscream’s servos were shaking and his panting quickened.  But then he found what he was looking for and Skyfire’s breath caught as his spike was released, erect and ready.  The tip glistened with a little bit of prefluid.</p><p>“<em>Still</em> so eager,” Starscream rasped, with a tight smirk.  His servo carefully wrapped around the spike, stroking it with gentleness and urgency.  Skyfire made some indistinct noises at the touch.</p><p>“You’ve had me this way for a while now, darling,” he said breathlessly.  He leaned forward, pressing his glossa into Starscream’s mouth again.  His digits then made their way into Starscream’s valve, slowly pushing in as Starscream’s breathing hitched again.  </p><p>Starscream was so incredibly responsive.  Skyfire wanted to do all kinds of things to him to keep getting that dim look of ecstasy and those incredibly alluring noises.</p><p>He slowly pumped his digits into the wet valve, and Starscream’s servo faltered in pumping his spike.</p><p>Finally he removed his digits now soaked in lubricant, and pulled Starscream closer to himself. Skyfire positioned Starscream’s waist above his spike, intending to slowly lower him down.  Starscream whimpered again into his mouth.  The tip of Skyfire’s spike kissed the opening of Starscream’s valve and the warm lubricant gathering there, but Skyfire didn’t move further.  He just held Starscream there, enjoying the anticipation.</p><p>“<em>Sky,</em>” Starscream admonished against his lips.  Never patient.</p><p>Skyfire obliged.</p><p>Slowly, he lowered Starscream onto his spike, drinking in the gasps elicited into his mouth as they continued to kiss.  Starscream moaned with need as he took the length of the spike, stretching and clenching around it.  Skyfire rolled his hips experimentally, and Starscream groaned as the large spike slid into him deeper.  His helm rolled forward onto Skyfire’s shoulder.</p><p>Skyfire began to thrust into Starscream, reaching around Starscream to capture his arms and hold him captive.  Starscream gave him a look of pure ecstasy and cried little moans that made Skyfire thrust harder.  There was a desperate edge to Skyfire’s lovemaking, spurned on as long as Starscream kept making those noises.</p><p>He felt his overload coming, and he locked his optics with Starscream as he thrust into him.  He looked at the flushed faceplate, the look of wonder and weakness on his conjunx’s faceplate, the feeling the frame riding him tense up.</p><p>He overloaded into Starscream with a shout and he felt his transfluid fill the valve.  He kept thrusting and a few moments later felt Starscream follow him into climax.</p><p>Starscream collapsed against him, panting, Skyfire's spike still deep inside him.  He could feel Starscream's rolling overload echoing through his valve, squeezing around his spike and drinking up every last drop of transfluid from his spike.</p><p>Skyfire had unwrapped his arms from the tight embrace and was now stroking Starscrem's back between his wings with his servo.  He pressed a kiss into Starscream's forehead and Starscream reached his arms around his neck to hug him.</p><p>After a few more moments, Starscream rolled off him with a vague grunt.  “Hmm, maybe I was too eager,” Skyfire laughed, petting Starscream’s helm.</p><p>Starscream dreamily shook his helm, his optics glazed over.  “No such thing as being too eager, or… too rough,” he said, his signature smirk gracing his perfect faceplate.</p><p>Skyfire matched the smirk.  “I will keep that in mind, darling, should I be so lucky as to do that again."</p><p>Starscream closed his optics.  "If you don't do that again, I will divorce you, war be damned."</p><p>After some time, Starscream then pulled Skyfire out of the berth and to the washracks.  There he turned on the water and solvent, and they cleaned each other with smiles and blushes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Assumed that was Still an Option</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was clear Starscream was frustrated.  He came back to the apartment after a long day of meetings, not just with the Science Coalition but also with Megatron and Optimus.</p><p>“Want to talk about it?”</p><p>“They’re STILL arguing like sparklings,” Starscream said, without acknowledging the question.  He flopped down on the couch and slouched, his wings fanned out on the back cushions and his legs spread out.  “I thought a quick frag between them might make these meetings more fun, but <em>nooooo</em>, they’re still playing out all the sexual tension in front of Prowl and I as if we <em>want</em> the show.”</p><p>“What are they arguing about?” Skyfire asked, though he knew the answer to this too.  “Wait- a frag?! What do you mean-”</p><p>“Oh the normal things,” Starscream said, ignoring the second question.  “Optimus is upset that the Decepticons keep skipping out on their therapy sessions.  He shouldn’t be <em>surprised</em>; the Decepticons have made escaping responsibilities an art form for millennia.”</p><p>“Have <em>you </em>been going to the therapy-”</p><p>“And Megatron is all mad at Prime because the Autobots keep assigning the boring jobs to the Decepticons because they don’t have formal education or experience doing anything else.  So, they keep arguing about it, and Prowl and I are stuck trying to give them solutions that they hate while they keep making berthroom optics at each other.”</p><p>Skyfire nodded, still unnerved by the random comments Starscream kept making about the two former faction leaders… fragging.  “And what about-” he started, but then stopped as Starscream was suddenly standing by his side.  He hadn’t heard Starscream move, but it was often that his silent pedefalls startled him.  Starscream was quiet when he wanted to be.</p><p>“Let’s go for a fly,” Starscream said, his optics pleading.</p><p>Skyfire was not unfamiliar with Starscream’s mercurial moods, but he felt something different with this.  “Sure,” he said.</p><p>They went outside and jumped into the sky, and it became very clear that Starscream was keyed up for some reason.  He could not maintain a single altitude as he twisted and performed aerial stunts around his calmer, sedate flight partner.</p><p>“<em>Let’s land here</em>,” Starscream said, suddenly diving down to an open field somewhere in North America.  It was fall, and the grasses were a patchwork of greens and browns.</p><p>Skyfire transformed and landed, feeling the optics of Starscream watching him.  Starscream was behaving positively manic, even for him.</p><p>“Star, what’s going on?” he asked.</p><p>“Why does there have to be something wrong?” Starscream asked, innocently.</p><p>“Star,” Skyfire admonished, folding his arms.</p><p>Starscream rolled his optics.  “There are some former Decepticons that are… very dissatisfied with the state of things.”</p><p>Skyfire frowned.</p><p>“And they… plan on doing something about it.”</p><p>Skyfire shuttered his optics briefly before hardening a look at Starscream.  “Starscream, please… tell me you have nothing to do with it.”</p><p>Starscream’s optics looked slightly disappointed.  “Believe me, I think they are being foolish.  I wouldn’t do anything so… obvious.”</p><p>“Who is it?  Why did they contact <em>you</em>?”</p><p>“The Combaticons, but that’s not really <em>surprising</em>…” he drifted off.  “There’s not really a lot of combat now.”</p><p>“Starscream, why did they contact you about it?  They had to know I would find out.”</p><p>Starscream bit the inside of his cheek.  “They visited me in the brig prior to all of this,” he said waving his servo at Skyfire.  “I was <em>bitter,</em> Skyfire.  I told them if they were considering something to count me in.  But the bonding thing threw a wrench in that plan.  They came to tell me anyway.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Starscream’s faceplate looked neutral.  “They think I can control you. And they said that if I don’t, they’ll do it for me.”</p><p>Skyfire considered these words for a moment and then gave a hard look at Starscream.  “Why tell me at all, then?”</p><p>The red and white seeker frowned.  “I… changed my mind about it.  I don’t want to start it all over again.  And if I didn’t tell you, you’d just find out when we bonded anyway.”</p><p>Skyfire felt his spark surge, but he was frowning, looking away, trying to hold himself impassive, trying not to let Starscream see-</p><p>“...I had assumed that was… still an option,” Starscream said.  His vocalizer was now ragged.  </p><p>“Starscream,” Skyfire said, as if saying his designation could stop him from thinking what he was already thinking, misinterpreting, taking things incorrectly.  </p><p>“Starscream, just stop.  I <em>want</em> to bond.”</p><p>Starscream looked up but was far too intelligent to not understand the cadence to that remark.</p><p>Skyfire took a deep invent.  "But I'm dying."</p><p>Starscream had clearly expected any other answer than this.  He had gone from expecting a blow to looking like the world had been flipped upside down.</p><p>"I don't understand," he said, tremulous and faint.</p><p>Skyfire’s optics softened.  “The strain of being in ice for so long caused irreparable damage to my spark.  I was alive in deep stasis but in a harsh environment, and the damage from my crash itself never fully healed.”</p><p>Starscream swallowed.  “But… you were fine on our monitors...”</p><p>Skyfire felt so low at this moment.  He had wanted this to go so differently, and Starscream’s reaction was so terribly pained, Skyfire’s spark ached. “It has been a gradual decline.  It started with just a general feeling of weakness, and that’s when Ratchet noticed it.  He pulled me back from the front line, which is why I hadn’t been on the battlefield a lot lately.  My spark is slowly extinguishing itself.”  Skyfire’s vocalizations were thick now.  “I don’t want to sparkbond with you, Starscream, if I am just going to die.”</p><p>Skyfire knew that losing someone you were sparkbonded to was pain unimaginable.  It would be like your spark was being torn in two, and the missing part never returned.</p><p>He never wanted to hurt him.</p><p>Starscream folded his arms as if he were hugging himself.   "Well, everyone dies eventually," he weakly laughed.</p><p>Skyfire was gutted and his ventilations became pained.</p><p>Starscream took a step forward, his face contorted in a grimace.  “How… long do we have?” He was on the verge of breaking.</p><p>Skyfire was about to speak but just shook his helm, overwhelmed with sadness.  “We?” he said weakly.  “I’m… I’m so sorry, Star.”</p><p>"I'm not giving up," Starscream said, his vocalizer only wavering slightly. "I just need to know how long we have."</p><p>Skyfire sighed. "Maybe six more Earth months, according to Ratchet."</p><p>Starscream looked as if the very air had been sucked out of his vents.  His optics were glassy.  "Why didn't you tell me?" </p><p>"I was being selfish.  I didn't anticipate that you would <em>want</em> to bond with me-"</p><p>"Then what was all of this? This… romance? This adoration you have shown me?" his vocalizer cracked.</p><p>Skyfire nodded.  "That's fair.  I just…" He closed his optics.  "I wanted you.  I should have told you.  I hated how they were treating you like a <em>thing</em> that had to be quieted by a sparkbond, and I couldn't let them do that to you.  But I also couldn't be near you and not want you, Star.  And then… I just wanted something normal.  Something that wasn't colored by… doom.</p><p>"I am so sorry."</p><p>It was quiet for a few moments.  This whole thing had been a terrible mistake.  He thought that by conjunxing Starscream, he could spare him from pain and suffering, but instead he had possibly inflicted worse damage.  Skyfire couldn't meet Starscream's optics so he was surprised when the Starscream jumped into the air to embrace him around the neck.  "I'm going to fix you," he said.  "I'm <em>not</em> losing you again."</p><p>Skyfire leaned his forehead against Starscream's, closing his optics and just holding him for a time.</p><p>He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, holding each other in both grief and maybe some hope.  After a time, they both started to receive urgent comms that kept trying to ring through.  Finally with a growl, Starscream took his.</p><p>The both pulled back and shared a look of horror.  Within seconds they had frantically separated and had jumped into the air to transform.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Idiot Shuttle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What’s the situation?” Starscream barked as he landed next to Wheeljack and Perceptor.  The two of them looked grim and watched as Skyfire landed beside them.</p><p>“The energon plant is fixing to blow,” Wheeljack said.  “If it does, because of how much unrefined energon is in there, it will take out all of New Iacon.”</p><p>Starscream grimaced.  “Do we know what happened?”</p><p>“Faulty materials,” Perceptor said with a rare edge to his voice.  “Apparently the humans were not just <em>delaying</em> shipments, but some of them were way below grade as well.  Some kind of chemical reaction has mixed with the unrefined energon and caused the situation.”</p><p>Skyfire joined them.  “Is there anyone still in there?”</p><p>Wheeljack’s shoulders slumped.  “We can’t raise the twins, Vortex, or Bumblebee.” </p><p>Starscream and Skyfire shared a look.  “Vortex? Do you think he had-”</p><p>“No, this- this isn’t it.  This seems to be an accident,” Starscream said.  “Anyone got a plan yet?”</p><p>Perceptor and Wheeljack shared a look this time.  “We were waiting on Prime to get here-”</p><p>“There is no time for that,” Shockwave said, alerting them to his presence at one of the monitors.  “Less than ten minutes until full meltdown.”</p><p>“<em>Slag</em>,” Starscream cursed, jumping into the air to transform and then jetted over to the refinery.  </p><p>“<em>Starscream</em>, WAIT!” Skyfire cried, jumping into the air and following him, ignoring the cries of the growing crowd.  No other fliers were around to try and assist.</p><p>“No, Skyfire, you go back there and start evacuating people as far as you can,” Starscream snarled into his comm.  </p><p>Skyfire hesitated.  “What are you going to do?”<br/>
<br/>
“I’m going to try and get those idiots out of there and see if there is something I can do to stop the explosion.”</p><p>“I’m coming with you.”</p><p>“SKYFIRE!”</p><p>“FRAG IT, STAR, I’M COMING WITH YOU!”</p><p>“You <em>IDIOT</em> shuttle,” Starscream cried into his comms.  “In your condition?  You’re supposed to take it easy!”</p><p>Skyfire noticed that Starscream was pulling ahead, probably on purpose.  He threw more power into his thrusters to speed up.  “Starscream, please let me help you.  I don’t want you to get hurt.”</p><p>Starscream did a corkscrew in clear frustration.  “What do you think <em>I’m</em> trying to do, Sky?”</p><p>Finally, Starscream gave up with an exasperated growl.  Furious with one another, they stalked into the rumbling plant, completely ignoring the danger that was yelling at them with every groan of increasing pressure on metal.</p><p>“Sunstreaker?! Sideswipe?!” Skyfire yelled, though not much could be heard over the crescendo of noise from the plant.  Wordlessly they split up, running down corridors looking for the four mechs that were missing.</p><p>Skyfire quickly found Bumblebee, who had been trapped inside the control room when emergency protocols activated.  Skyfire was able to rip the door off its hinges and get the mini-bot out.  </p><p>The yellow bot was appreciative and quickly aided the search.</p><p>“<em>Starscream, tell me you are okay?”</em></p><p>Starscream didn’t respond on comms right way, and every second that stretched on increased the anxiety in Skyfire’s weakened spark.  He actually started to feel some pain there and clutched at his chest, trying to still his anxiety.</p><p>Finally, “<em>I found Vortex</em>,” came over the comm.  It was faint, but it was there.  </p><p>They searched, knowing time was running out.  According to his chronometer, they had under five minutes tops.</p><p>Skyfire eventually found Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, unconscious near a loading bay.  It looked like there had been a minor explosion near the bay that had knocked them against the wall.  Knowing that Vortex was here and what he had just learned about the Combaticons made him suspicious.</p><p>“<em>Got the twins but they are unconscious</em>,” he said.  “<em>Was this Vortex’s doing?”</em></p><p>
  <em>“No, he was trapped in a technology hub when this explosion happened.  This… isn’t what they had planned.”</em>
</p><p>Still Starscream didn’t appear. <em>“Where are you? We need to GO!”</em></p><p>“<em>Just a minute, I’m going to try something-”</em></p><p><em>“STAR, I AM BEGGING YOU PLEASE!”</em> His chest constricted more as he picked up the twins, one in either arm.  Bumblebee was saying something to him with concern in his voice but Skyfire couldn’t respond.  His helm began to swim.</p><p>“<em>Just go, I’m right behind you-”</em></p><p>
  <em>“NOT until I see you LEAVING.”</em>
</p><p>Finally he saw Starscream appear and give him a furious look, followed by a slightly damaged Vortex.  They were running down the hall as quickly as they could.  Starscream grabbed a twin from Skyfire to help share the load and Bumblebee allowed Skyfire to pick him up so that they could travel.  Vortex jumped and transformed, flying as fast as he could.  </p><p>“Stay as low to the ground as you can,” Starscream said breathlessly.  The two fliers jumped into the air and flew out just as the explosion began, the heat licking at their backs and the concussive force throwing them forward into the air.</p><p>Skyfire was able to remain stable, but Starscream tumbled a bit in the air before righting himself.  Both of their backs were scorched from the heat.  Still they flew as quickly as they could to try and outpace the worst of it.  </p><p>To Skyfire’s surprise, they had managed to outrun it.  He spared a glance back seeing that most of the explosion had gone upwards.  “You opened all the vents?”</p><p>“Tried my best,” Starscream said, coughing.</p><p>“You’re so smart,” Skyfire said tiredly, and with fondness.  He saw the tug of a smile on his conjunx’s face.  </p><p>By opening the vents all the way, Starscream had given the explosion an easier path to getting out of the building.  It had blown the roof off, certainly.  But it did not level New Iacon.</p><p>They finally reached where most of the crowd had gathered and they landed in a heap with their unconscious charges.  Ratchet and Hook had pushed through the crowd, looking to the two downed mechs.</p><p>Starscream and Skyfire sat on the ground next to each other, giving each other looks of relief tinged with frustration.  </p><p>“You should have listened to me,” they both said at almost the same time.  Starscream’s optics went wide and he sputtered.</p><p>“Sky, you are such an idiot-” he had started, but stopped when Skyfire's face fell.</p><p>Skyfire had doubled over in pain, his servo clutching at the panels on his chest.  Starscream’s wings hitched in alarm and he scrambled over, holding Skyfire’s shoulder.  “Sky?!” he said, louder this time, with true fear.  “<em>Ratchet,</em>” he hissed when Skyfire didn’t respond.</p><p>“Slag,” Ratchet swore, leaving Sunstreaker to Hook and going to Skyfire.  He looked over Skyfire after seeing his distress, and felt his spark pulse in the lines in his neck.  Skyfire's optics were wide and his venting was heavily labored. Ratchet swallowed thickly, his face gaunt.</p><p>Starscream saw the look and his venting stopped.</p><p>“SKYWARP!” Starscream shrieked, making many of the onlookers flinch. Skywarp quickly appeared, apparently having gathered with everyone else when the explosion had happened.  “Get them to the medbay in the science building.”</p><p>Skywarp did as he was told, spurned to action by Starscream's panic. He warped away with Ratchet and Skyfire.</p><p>Starscream stood shakily to his pedes and started walking to the science building, barely tolerating everyone’s sympathetic looks on his back.</p><p>His pede caught on the ground, and he almost tripped, but his elbow was caught by a black servo.</p><p>Megatron said nothing, but just helped him to regain his balance and walked beside Starscream up to the science building.  Optimus was not far behind</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We are wrapping this up today, so don't fret!  &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. One Hell of a Courtship</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Skyfire woke some time later. He was dimly aware he was in a medical berth with some monitors beeping beside him.  The lights had been dimmed.</p><p>His chest hurt. Once he noticed, the pain burned and he felt his optics glaze over a little and he drew air down his intake with a hiss.</p><p>Then he noticed the sleeping mech beside him. Starscream was on a chair, his upper torso leaning on the berth and his helm resting on arms.  He looked exhausted, and despite recharging, his wings were tense behind him.</p><p>“I’m glad you finally told him,” a voice murmured quietly beside him.  Ratchet was checking a monitor system, and gave Skyfire a look.  “Though it makes everything more tragic now.  I don’t really know what you planned to do if he fell in love with you back.”</p><p>Skyfire blinked back tears as he looked at Starscream’s sleeping form.  “I thought it would be enough that I could protect him,” he said, his vocalizer wavering.  He exvented to calm himself and looked to Ratchet.  “How long now?”</p><p>Ratchet’s face faltered.  “Your spark isn’t stabilizing anymore.  I don’t think you should leave the medical bay.”</p><p>Skyfire nodded bitterly.  He reached out a servo and started to pet Starscream’s helm, smiling when he seemed to relax in his sleep at the touch.  “You will have to tell him how to fake a spark-bond break.”</p><p>Ratchet sighed.  “I don’t think that will be hard for him,” the medic replied.  </p><p>Starscream stirred and opened his red optics.  He looked up, and saw that Skyfire was awake. His face softened.</p><p>“You are such an idiot,” he said quietly.</p><p>Skyfire chuckled, still petting his helm.  “Yes.  Categorically, I am an idiot.”</p><p>Starscream just stared at him for a few more moments.  “Ratchet,” he rasped.  “Can you give us the room?”</p><p>“Just… no yelling,” the medic said, walking away.  “Call me if you need me.”</p><p>Skyfire nodded absently, his optics still trained on Starscream.  Starscream pulled back and stretched, his wings twitching carefully.  Still tense.  </p><p>“I still want to sparkbond,” he said, his expression unwavering.</p><p>Skyfire sighed, feeling exasperated.  “You want to sparkbond, and then experience the pain of my death when it is severed?  That is so unbelievably stupid.”</p><p>“I do.  It’s the least you can do for me,” he said, his smile lopsided.</p><p>“Starscream.  I’m not going to agree to this!  You will physically <em>hurt</em>, I can’t do that to you.”</p><p>Starscream shrugged.  “It’s going to hurt physically either way,” he replied, his voice thick.  </p><p>He felt himself wavering, but he could not.  He had to stay strong here, be the cooler head.  “Why in Primus would you want to do this to yourself?”</p><p>Starscream smiled wider now, even though his optics were sad.  “You were worth the wait.”</p><p>Skyfire blinked and then choked back a sob, his servo coming to his mouth.  Starscream had clamored up into the berth and wrapped himself around Skyfire’s neck.  He could feel Starscream shaking, and he leaned heavily against Skyfire’s frame. Skyfire picked him up, and he leaned against Skyfire’s chest, digging his digits into the seams of his plating.</p><p>“It’s the least you can do for me,” Starscream said again, whispering the words against Skyfire’s plating.  “Become my sparkmate, <em>please</em>.  Let me feel your bond before you go.  Let me be close to you so that I can finally tell you… express to you how I <em>feel</em>, Sky.”</p><p>Skyfire shook his head, knowing he was losing the fight.  He, too, wanted to be close and to express himself to his seeker. </p><p>He leaned down, enveloping Starscream in a kiss.</p>
<hr/><p>Ratchet checked on his other patients.  Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were healing from their injuries nicely, and Vortex and Bumblebee had been released a few hours ago.  </p><p>Ratchet snorted when he saw Megatron and Optimus recharging in the waiting room chairs outside the medical wing.  Their helms were leaning against each other, and though he didn’t particularly <em>like</em> the idea of them being chummy… after the tragedy going on with their resident conjunxes, he wasn’t about to stop anyone from being friendly right now. </p><p>Megatron stirred and both of the former faction leaders suddenly came to awareness, and quickly sat up, separating.  Ratchet just rolled his optics and leaned against the wall, folding his arms.</p><p>“How… are they doing?” Optimus asked, his vocalizer a little raw from embarrassment and recharge.</p><p>“Well, Starscream called him an idiot, so about normal,” Ratchet said.  He said it more gently than his usual gruffness. </p><p>Megatron snorted, but then his face looked grave.  “I do wonder though.  Was Skyfire aware of his condition before he agreed to conjunx Starscream?  Were you aware?” Though his tone was neutral, his optics blazed in the dim light of the waiting room.</p><p>Ratchet threw a small look to the Prime for help.  “I… was aware.  I was against this. But-”</p><p>“Skyfire and Starscream were conjunxed, but never actually sparkbonded,” Optimus said, throwing his optics at the medic.  “Is that about the short of it, Ratchet?”</p><p>The medic frowned.  It was one thing to take the wrathful look of the gunformer from the Pit, it was another to know you were being stared down by a wrathful Prime.  Though Ratchet dealt with it like he usually did: sarcasm.</p><p>“And your <em>grand idea</em> to ensure peace and tranquility for our race was to force Starscream to sparkbond.  Honestly.  You’d think we were in the dark ages.”</p><p>Megatron looked surprised.  “But… they clearly care for each other. I just assumed they had bonded.”</p><p>“It’s been one hell of a courtship, leading to one of them on their deathbed.  You two must be so proud.”</p><p>“Ratchet,” Optimus chided.  “Skyfire has cared for Starscream.  And Starscream told me he was actually happy.   We have the peace we were looking for.  He didn’t start a rebellion.”</p><p>“All’s well that ends well, then, hmm?”</p><p>Megatron frowned.  “Wait.  You… left them alone in there?”</p><p>“Of course,” Ratchet replied.  “They’re still conjunxed, even if they aren’t sparkmates.”</p><p>Megatron jumped to his pedes.  “I guarantee that idiot seeker is doing something very foolish about now,” he grumbled walking briskly towards Skyfire’s room.</p><p>“Wait- at least <em>knock</em>-” Optimus said, scandalized.</p><p>Megatron ignored him, throwing open the door to see the two conjunxes laying in the medical berth together.  They were cute, but looked spent.</p><p>“MEGATRON?!” Starscream shrieked.</p><p>Megatron frowned, not the least bit deterred.  “Tell me you didn’t just do something very, very stupid.”</p><p>Ratchet slipped in behind Megatron, walking over to the monitors to check Skyfire’s readings.  He felt the gaze of the conjunxes on him and he rolled his optics.</p><p>“Honestly, Starscream, you are a glutton for punishment,” Megatron said softly.  Almost fond.</p><p>Starscream scowled.  “I don’t need your pity,” he spat.  “I am perfectly capable of handling anything the future decides to throw at me, and-” he abruptly stopped speaking, his face screwing into a kind of grimace and then it smoothed over.  “Not fair,” he whispered to Skyfire.</p><p>Skyfire just smiled lightly.</p><p>Megatron exvented.  “You have sparkbonded.”</p><p>“OUT!” Ratchet shouted.  “OUT, OUT, OUT!” he started waving his arms.  Megatron was clearly not used to being ordered around.  “Rise up and out of here, Megatron!  Immediately!”</p><p>Megatron’s optics blazed, but Optimus had placed a calming servo on his shoulder and started to pull him out the room.  Ratchet rudely shut the door in his face and then spun on his pede to look at the two conjunxes on the berth.  Skyfire looked properly guilty, and Starscream just lifted his chin.</p><p>Ratchet sighed.  He went back to the monitor.  “I wasn’t even sure you could <em>survive</em> a sparkmerge or a sparkbond in your state, you <em>idiot</em>.  I thought that was a given.  Guess I’ll have to amend the warning posters on the fragging wall to say no <em>interfacing or sparkmerging </em>when your <em>spark won’t stabilize</em>.” </p><p>Skyfire was sinking lower and lower into the berth but remained quiet.</p><p>Ratchet hit the keyboard of the monitors with probably more force than necessary.  “<em>Honestly</em>.  What could possess you to-”</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>He turned and looked at the conjunxes.  Then turned back to the monitor.  Then back to the conjunxes.</p><p>“Open… up.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>&lt;3 One more little chapter to go- will be up this evening!</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. ‘Twere All One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Skyfire leaned against his conjunx as the sun was setting.  Skywarp had built a giant fire on the outskirts of the city and invited everyone to the "bonfire" because it would be "fun."  </p><p>Soundwave was playing old Cybertronian music, which confused a lot of the younger mechs, such as the Aerialbots and the Stunticons.  Skywarp, who lacked the credentials to explain the music, was happily explaining the music.  Most older Cybertronians listened with laughter.</p><p>Starscream hummed thoughtfully.  "This reminds me of when we stayed on that planet near Vega.  Those weird organic primitives?”</p><p>“Ah yes,” Skyfire said, his voice rumbling deeply.</p><p>“And they <em>worshipped </em>you, it was disgusting.”</p><p>“You mean <em>terrifying</em>. They wanted to sacrifice someone to me!”</p><p>“Would have been worth it,” Starscream said chuckling darkly.</p><p>Skyfire smiled and leaned down to kiss Starscream.  “Aft,” he murmured.</p><p>“Glitch,” Starscream said back with a smile.  “The fire was bigger back then, though.”</p><p>“Well, yeah, because they were using it for the… Primus, Star,” he laughed.  “You’re dark.”</p><p>“And you <em>chose</em> me, so what’s wrong with <em>you</em>?” </p><p>Ratchet came over and sat down heavily in front of the fire.  He watched the couple cavorting as if they didn’t have a care in the world.  Acting like they hadn’t benefited some kind of weird medical miracle.  He drank some high grade and kept glaring.</p><p>“Something bothering you?” Optimus said, setting down next to him.  </p><p>“Many things bother me, Prime.  But in particular is the walking medical mystery over there.”</p><p>Starscream had leaned over and was whispering something into Skyfire’s audial, which made him blush.</p><p>Ratchet made a “tsk” noise.  </p><p>“...Can’t you just be happy for them?” Optimus said, trying not to laugh.</p><p>“Of <em>course</em> I’m happy for them, I’m the one who helped them out in the first place!” Ratchet said bitterly.  “I just… don’t understand.”</p><p>“Maybe it was something about them bonding that healed him?”</p><p>“<em>Healed</em> him?  His spark ticks like a fragging human clock now!  It was literally hours away from extinguishing.”</p><p>“I’ve heard, on occasion, certain traits can be shared over a sparkbond.  Just a thought.”</p><p>“What, ‘Screamer’s ‘stubbornness to die’ got shared?”  But then Ratchet was actually thinking about it, and the strange gleam to Starscream’s spark when he had looked at it.  Maybe there was something to this.</p><p>“Maybe it was Primus.  Maybe it was the Matrix.  Maybe it was <em>magic.  </em>But in the end it doesn’t really matter. ‘The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together,’ don’t you think?” Optimus quoted, his optics dancing in the firelight.</p><p>“‘All’s Well That Ends Well,’” Ratchet said with a snort.  “You sap.”</p><p>Optimus patted his friend on the back, and looked back at the couple laughing in the firelight.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>‘Twere all one </p>
  <p>That I should love a bright particular star </p>
  <p>And think to wed it, he is so above me: </p>
  <p>In his bright radiance and collateral light </p>
  <p>Must I be comforted, not in his sphere. </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>-Helena, <em>All’s Well That Ends Well</em>, Act 1, Scene 1</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TOLD YOU, YOU CAN TRUST ME! lmfao Many of you guessed and I love you for it.  It's fun, it's light, all's well that ends well, right?  &lt;3 &lt;3</p><p>Thank you so much to my two betas, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tackytacs">@Tac</a> and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/OverlordRaax/pseuds/OverlordRaax">@Raax</a> who both read this behemoth that was only supposed to be 1k, helped me edit it and let me bounce ideas off them.  It was a HUGE help because I got stuck in my ways a little and it got so big I couldn’t do it all myself.  </p><p>Thank you to all the lovely people who left comments and kudos.  I know I kind of just threw this giant fic at you and updated it so quickly, so I appreciate everyone who took the time to comment and kudo.  It means a lot to me since it's just gonna sit in my backlog now, my first complete giant fic.</p><p>Shout out to the SkyStar server since you all helped me with this even if you may not know it &lt;3  Also thank you again to Tac and JustAwayNinja for organizing the SkyStar gift exchange- it's a thankless job and it was a lot of fun.</p><p>Wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!  I've got a ton of work to do with my WIPs and I've got a week off, so I look forward to updating more for you.</p><p>You.  You, gentle reader.  You are awesome.  Have a great day. &lt;3</p>
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